Nickel-Based Catalysts for Dry Reforming of Methane in the Absence/Presence of H₂S: Effect of SiO₂ and Cu

Dry reforming of methane (DRM) can utilize methane and carbon dioxide to produce synthesis gas. The nickel-based catalysts used in the DRM are easily poisoned by H2S in the feed gas. This study evaluated the effect of SiO2 and Cu on the Ni/Al2O3 catalyst during DRM in the absence/presence of H2S. XRD, N2 adsorption/desorption, TEM, XPS, H2-TPR, CO2-TPD, and TGA were used to characterize the catalysts. The results show that in the absence of H2S, adding SiO2 can effectively reduce the amount of coke on the catalyst surface, whereas adding Cu can effectively change the nature of coke to more reactive filament carbon. The presence of H2S facilitates coke deposition on the catalyst surface. The synergistic effect of strengthening the metal–support interaction by SiO2 and absorbing H2S by Cu results in simultaneous coke and sulfur resistance of the NiAl1Si3Cu catalyst.