Effects of support on Ni-based catalysts for dry reforming of methane

• Synthesis of Ni-based catalysts supported on La 2 O 3 , ZrO 2 , and Al 2 O 3 by solution combustion synthesis method. • Testing of for dry reformation of methane. • Excellent performance and stability of the Ni/Al 2 O 3 catalysts during DRM reaction. We report the development and evaluation of Ni-based catalysts supported on La 2 O 3 , ZrO 2 , and Al 2 O 3 for dry methane reformation. The catalysts were synthesized using the solution combustion synthesis (SCS) method, characterized using several cutting-edge analytical tools, and tested for CO 2 reformation of methane in a fixed bed plug-flow reactor. Catalytic activity and physicochemical properties of the studied catalysts varied considerably, indicating that the nature of support had a considerable impact. The Ni/Al 2 O 3 nanocatalyst outperformed the Ni/La 2 O 3 and Ni/ZrO 2 catalysts in terms of catalytic activity and stability during the DRM process. During T.O.S. stability tests, the Ni/La 2 O 3 catalyst demonstrated higher initial CH 4 conversion (∼95.3%) than the Ni/Al 2 O 3 catalyst (∼88.7%). However, after 50 hours on stream, the Ni/La 2 O 3 catalyst deactivated significantly, but the Ni/Al 2 O 3 catalyst remained active. Amongst the catalysts tested, the zirconia-supported Ni catalyst had the least activity and demonstrated no activity at temperatures below 800°C. The analysis of the TPR profile of the Ni/ZrO 2 catalyst demonstrated the presence of α-NiO species, indicating a weak metal to support contact, resulting in deactivation due to carbon deposition and aggregation of active sites. The thermogram of the Ni/La 2 O 3 catalyst indicated a combination of two Ni species. The first reduction peak at 342.2°C occurred by the reduction of α-NiO species. The second reduction peak at 695°C was caused by the reduction of surface β-NiO species. The absence of δ-NiO species in the La 2 O 3 crystals suggests that Ni 2+ did not induce inside the lattice. In contrast, Ni/Al 2 O 3 showed the presence of NiAl 2 O 4 nanocrystallite (δ-NiO) spinel and NiO-Al 2 O 3 solid solution, responsible for high activity and stability. Effects of Ni loading on activity and stability during DRM reaction.