Ni-Cu/Mg/Al　bimetallic　catalysts　were　prepared　by　the　calcination　and　reduction　of　hydrotalcite-like　compounds　containing　Ni2+,　Cu　2+,　Mg2+,　and　Al3+,　and　tested　for　the　steam　reforming　of　tar　derived　from　the　pyrolysis　of　biomass　at　low　temperature.　The　characterizations　with　XRD,　STEM-EDX,　and　H2　chemisorption　confirmed　the　formation　of　Ni-Cu　alloy　particles.　The　Ni-Cu/Mg/Al　bimetallic　catalyst　with　the　optimum　composition　of　Cu/Ni　=　0.25　exhibited　much　higher　catalytic　performance　than　the　corresponding　monometallic　Ni/Mg/Al　and　Cu/Mg/Al　catalysts　in　the　steam　reforming　of　tar　in　terms　of　activity　and　coke　resistance.　The　catalyst　gave　almost　total　conversion　of　tar　even　at　temperature　as　low　as　823　K.　This　high　performance　was　related　to　the　higher　metal　dispersion,　larger　amount　of　surface　active　sites,　higher　oxygen　affinity,　and　surface　modification　caused　by　the　formation　of　small　Ni-Cu　alloy　particles.　In　addition,　the　Ni-Cu/Mg/Al　catalyst　showed　better　long-term　stability　than　the　Ni/Mg/Al　catalyst.　No　obvious　aggregation　and　structural　change　of　the　Ni-Cu　alloy　particles　were　observed.　The　coke　deposition　on　the　Ni-Cu/Mg/Al　catalyst　was　approximately　ten　times　smaller　than　that　on　the　Ni/Mg/Al　catalyst,　indicating　good　coke-resistance　of　the　Ni-Cu　alloy　particles.　©　2014,　Hydrogen　Energy　Publications,　LLC.　Published　by　Elsevier　Ltd.　All　rights　reserved.