Sinter-Resistant\nSingle Core PtNi Alloy@SiO<sub>2</sub> Channel (<i>d</i> ≈ 20 nm) Catalysts for Dry Reforming\nof Methane

The\ndry reforming of methane (DRM) can drive the green\ntransformation\nof the chemical industry, achieving effective environmental protection.\nDesigning Ni-based catalysts with high activity and sintering resistance\nis one of the key factors in the implementation of DRM technology.\nIn this study, a tip-growth carbon nanotube template strategy was\nfor the first time proposed to prepare a sinter-resistant single core\nPtNi alloy@SiO<sub>2</sub> channel (<i>d</i> ≈ 20\nnm) catalyst (PtNi@SiO<sub>2</sub>). At 550 °C, the CH<sub>4</sub> and CO<sub>2</sub> conversion of PtNi@SiO<sub>2</sub> in DRM reaction\nreach up to 31.5 and 34.1%, respectively, and almost no sintering\nphenomenon is observed after 40 h stability test. The excellent catalytic\nperformance could be ascribed to the unique single core confinement\nfunction and the PtNi alloy synergistic effect. The highly dispersed\nsingle core PtNi particles are difficult to agglomerate during DRM.\nBesides, the inner walls of the SiO<sub>2</sub> pore channels can\neffectively restrict the migration and sintering of single core PtNi\nalloy particles, thereby leading to the excellent sintering resistance\nof PtNi@SiO<sub>2</sub>. Importantly, compared to pure Ni, the PtNi\nalloy can reduce the highest dissociation energy barriers of CH<sub>4</sub> and CO<sub>2</sub> by 0.6 and 0.2 eV, respectively, thereby\nincreasing its dry reforming activity.