High carbon-resistance Ni/CeAlO3-Al2O3 catalyst for CH4/CO2 reforming

High carbon-resistance Ni/Ce-AlO catalysts have been developed for dry reforming of methane (DRM) that is attracting growing attention for chemical recycling of CO2 to fuels/chemicals. Cerium is definitely identified to exist in the form of CeAlO3 phase after reduction at 900 °C, and so is it under running conditions. The formation of CeAlO3 phase significantly enhances the catalyst carbon-resistance without decreasing the activity. Whereas the catalysts with or without CeAlO3 all show good activity maintenance within 250 h testing at 800 °C using 20,000 mL h−1 gcat−1, their carbon deposition amounts exhibit significant decrease from 0.92 to 0.29 g gcat−1 along with the increase of the CeAlO3 phase. The presence of CeAlO3 can inhibit growth of graphitic carbon on nickel surface while the formation of amorphous carbon is independent of the CeAlO3. The CeAlO3 species shows ability for decomposing CO2 to form active surface oxygen and therefore the carbon-resistance promotion by nature is suggested to be contributed to an oxidative environment around Ni particles.

Graphical abstractDry reforming of methane on Ni/CeAlO3-Al2O3 catalysts was studied to verify the cerium existing state under reaction condition and to probe the effects on carbon resistance improvement. The CeAlO3 phase was identified and exhibited the ability to inhibit growth of filamentous carbon on nickel surface as a function of CeAlO3 content.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slideHighlights► High-performance Ni/Ce-AlO catalysts were developed for dry reforming of methane. ► Cerium is definitely identified to exist in the form of CeAlO3 phase. ► CeAlO3 can decompose CO2 to form surface CeO2 thereby inhibiting growth of graphene layers. ► Formation of amorphous carbon is independent of CeAlO3 phase.