Synthesis of highly coke resistant Ni nanoparticles supported MgO/ZnO catalyst for reforming of methane with carbon dioxide

• Ni-nanoparticles supported on MgO promoted ZnO nanocrystals was prepared by hydrothermal method.
• The catalyst showed very good activity for methane reforming with CO2.
• Catalyst can produce synthesis gas with almost H2 to CO mole ratio of 1.
• The catalyst is highly coke resistant and does not deactivate till 100 h time on stream.
• Presence of MgO and strong metal support (Ni–Zn) interaction plays a crucial role for the activity.

Ni-nanoparticles supported on MgO promoted nanocrytalline zinc oxide catalyst was prepared by hydrothermal method in presence of cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide. The catalyst showed very good activity for the reforming of methane with carbon dioxide to produce synthesis gas, where H2/CO ratio was almost 1 and the catalyst showed no deactivation for more than 100 h. The prepared catalyst was characterized using the analytical techniques like N2-physisorption studies, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Temperature programmed desorption (TPD), Temperature programmed reduction (TPR), Temperature programmed oxidation (TPO), H2-chemisorpton, Thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA), Inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS). Transmission electron microscopy and H2-chemisorption analysis indicated that highly dispersed Ni nanoparticles with average size 5.7 nm, present on ZnO when MgO was added with the catalyst. The strong Ni–ZnO interaction was evidenced from TPR and EXAFS analysis. The presence of highly dispersed Ni nanoparticles and strong metal support interaction enhanced the reduction behaviour of the Ni-MgO/ZnO catalyst. The presence of MgO increased the adsorption behaviour of CO2, enhanced the dissociation of CO2 and accelerated the carbon elimination.

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