NiCe/γ-Al2O3 coated onto cordierite monoliths applied to Oxidative Dehydrogenation of Ethane (ODE)

• The modified 2 steps method used for the catalytic coating synthesis is adequate.
• The catalytic coatings on the cordierite monoliths exhibit excellent adherence.
• The Ce/Ni ratio in the obtained catalytic layers is higher than the nominal one.
• Ni species interact either with alumina or ceria, both constitute active sites.

The present work investigates the preparation of NiCe/γ-Al2O3 coated cordierite monoliths for oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane (ODE) reaction through a two steps procedure: the primer deposition of a γ-Al2O3 coating consisting in a mixture of micro and nanoparticles via the washcoating method and the latter incorporation of the active phase by impregnation. Moreover, a modification in these two steps was made: the suppression of some calcination steps to save energy in the manufacture process. The structured catalysts, named as Ni(X)Ce(Y)-M, where X = 13 or 19 wt%. Ni and Y = 5 or 8 wt%. Ce respectively, with respect to the alumina loading, were characterized by SEM/EDX, XRD, FTIR, LRS and XPS, and their catalytic activity was tested in the ODE reaction. Furthermore, their mechanical resistance to vibration was studied. Similar results corresponding to the un-promoted system are also presented for comparison. It was found that the co-impregnation of nickel and cerium was affected by the suppression of some calcinations: a preferential absorption of Ce rather than Ni occurred, generating at the end a catalytic coating with a higher Ce/Ni ratio than that of the precursor solution and a lower Ni loading than that of Ni(13)-M. On the other side, in the NiCe-based catalysts the properties of the active sites remained the same despite the increment in the active phase, at a fixed Ce/Ni nominal atomic ratio of 0.17. In the case of the Ni(19)Ce(8)-M system, although the Ni/Al atomic ratios were found lower than those of the nominal ones by EDX and XPS and ethylene selectivity decayed, ethane conversion resulted markedly higher, leading to an improved ethylene yield.

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