Preparation and characterization of Ni-Zr-O nanoparticles and its catalytic behavior for ethane oxidative dehydrogenation

Ni-Zr-O nanoparticles with various Zr contents were prepared by a modified sol-gel method and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning/high-resolution transmission electron microscope (SEM/HRTEM), BET surface area analysis, H2 temperature-programmed reduction (H2-TPR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and O2 temperature-programmed desorption (O2-TPD). The oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane (ODHE) to ethylene was applied to evaluate catalytic performance of the samples. The results show that the doping of Zr affected the cell parameter and the chemical environment of the catalysts, indicating the existence of strong interaction between Ni and Zr. The interaction plays an important role in the lessened reducibility and the distribution of adsorbed oxygen species, consequently influence their catalytic performance. The best yield to ethylene was obtained over the 10% Ni-Zr-O catalyst with 60% ethane conversion and 66% ethylene selectivity.

► Uniform Ni-Zr-O nanoparticles obtained by modified sol-gel method. ► Catalysts for oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane to ethylene. ► An interaction between Ni and Zr results in the change of reducibility and adsorption oxygen species distribution. ► The doping of Zr increases the selectivity to ethylene and deactivation temperature.