A study of the methanation of carbon dioxide on Ni/Al2O3 catalysts at atmospheric pressure

•Ni/alumina catalysts allow > 0.75 yield to CH4 from CO2 hydrogenation at 1 bar.•The larger the Ni particles the higher CO coproduction.•High loading catalysts are activated on stream.•Low loading catalysts must be prereduced.•Cubic Ni is found in the spent catalyst without carbon species.

The hydrogenation of carbon dioxide producing methane and CO has been investigated over Ni/Al2O3 catalysts. The as prepared catalysts have been characterized by XRD and Temperature Programmed Reduction. Spent catalysts have been characterized by XRD and Field Emission SEM. Catalytic activity needs the presence of Ni metal particles which may form in situ if the Ni loading is higher than that needed to cover the alumina surface with a complete monolayer. If Ni content is lower, pre-reduction is needed. Catalysts containing very small Ni particles obtained by reducing moderate loading materials are very selective to methane without CO formation. The larger the Ni particles, due to higher Ni loadings, the higher the CO production. Cubic Ni metal particles are found in the spent catalysts mostly without carbon whiskers. The data suggest that fast methanation occurs at the expense of CO intermediate on the corners of nanoparticles interacting with alumina, likely with a “via oxygenate” mechanism.

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