Ni/CeO2 catalyst with La and Zr additives for improved low-temperature CO2 methanation efficiency

• Ni/Ce 0.5 La 0.5 O 2 catalyst was active at low temperatures. • La promoter enhances Ni dispersion and oxygen vacancies. • CH 4 yield of Ni/Ce 0.5 La 0.5 O 2 is 4 times higher than that of the Ni/CeO 2 catalyst. Fossil fuel burning and other human activities have contributed to the rising carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere, causing serious environmental problems. In this research, a CO 2 utilization strategy involving the addition of La and Zr to Ni/CeO 2 catalysts to obtain a high methane yield via CO 2 methanation at low temperatures was investigated. The catalysts were prepared via solution combustion with citric acid, and catalytic activity was evaluated in a quartz reactor from 175–350 °C at 0.1 MPa with a space velocity of 60000 mL/h·g cat . At 275 °C, the Zr and La-modified catalysts achieved higher methane yields than undoped Ni/CeO 2 . The Ni/Ce 0.5 La 0.5 O 2 catalyst showed the highest methane yield of 49 % at 275 °C due to its larger surface area, greater oxygen vacancy content, and higher Ni dispersion on the support. These changes led to greater reaction efficiency, highlighting the potential of La-doped Ni/CeO 2 for low-temperature CO 2 methanation.