Optimization of Ni/ZrO2 catalytic performance in thermochemical cellulose conversion for enhanced hydrogen production

Hydrogen and syngas from cellulose or cellulosic biomass gasification are environmentally clean gaseous fuels used for power generation. In this work, we explored the potential of several Ni/ZrO2 catalysts for the thermochemical conversion of cellulose to hydrogen. From the investigated catalysts the one consisting of tetragonal zirconia and containing the active phase with a small crystallite size and stable surface area, performed best in the cellulose conversion. Migration of zirconia on the nickel surface was found to be beneficial for catalytic performance. According to the XPS results, the highest Zr/Ni ratio was measured on the tetragonal phase of zirconia, followed by monoclinic ZrO2, with amorphous zirconia showing the lowest migration tendency.

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► Enhancement of hydrogen production in cellulose pyrolysis by Ni/ZrO2 catalyst.
► Finding the optimal design of zirconia support for catalyst in cellulose pyrolysis.
► Determination of activity driving factors for Ni/ZrO2 pyrolysis catalysts.