The production of hydrogen from the two-stage pyrolysis-gasification of polypropylene using a Ni/CeO2/ZSM-S catalyst has been investigated. Experiments were conducted on CeO2 loading, calcination temperature and Ni loading of the NVCeO2/ZSM-5 catalyst in relation to hydrogen production. The results indicated that with increasing CeO2 loading from 5 to 30 wt.% for the 10 wt.% Ni/CeC2/ZSM-5 catalyst calcined at 750 degrees C, hydrogen concentration in the gas product and the theoretical potential hydrogen production were decreased from 63.0 to 49.8 vol.% and 50.4 to 21.6 wt.%, respectively. in addition, the amount of coke deposited on the catalyst was reduced from 9.5 to 6.2 wt.%. The calcination temperature had little influence on hydrogen production for the catalyst containing 5 wt.% of CeO2. However, for the 10 wt.% Ni/CeO2/ZSM-S catalyst with a CeO2 content of 10 or 30 wt.%, the catalytic activities reduced when the calcination temperature was increased from 500 to 750 degrees C. The SEM results showed that large amounts of filamentous carbons were formed on the surface of the catalysts. The investigation of different Ni content indicates that the NVCeO2/ZSM-5 ((2-10)-5-500) catalyst containing 2 wt.% Ni showed poor catalytic activity in relation to the pyrolysis-gasification of polypropylene according to the theoretical potential H-2 production (7.2 wt.%). Increasing the Ni loading to 5 or 10 wt.% in the Ni/CeO2/ZSM-5 ((2-10)-5-500) catalyst, high potential hydrogen production was obtained. (C) 2009 International Association for Hydrogen Energy. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.