Preparation and characterization of nickel loaded on resin char as tar reforming catalyst for biomass gasification

•A novel porous carbon supported nickel catalyst is prepared via ion-exchange.•The characteristics of Ni/RC rely on pH value and carbonization temperature.•The catalyst is effective for reforming tarry materials in corncob gasification.•Ni/RC is a potential candidate for H2-rich gas production from biomass.

A novel porous carbon catalyst was prepared by carbonization of D151 resin exchanged with nickel ion (Ni/RC). TEM images and XRD patterns manifest that nickel crystallite size (NCS) relies greatly on solution pH value and carbonization temperature. The as-prepared Ni/RC in pH 11 at 650 °C achieved the maximal specific surface area of 213 m2/g and metallic nickel particles are highly dispersed with a NCS of 5.7 nm. Ni/RC exhibited higher activity for corncob tar reforming than commercial Ni/Al2O3 and produced a gas yield of 46.8 mmol/g at 650 °C. The nickel particles growth above 650 °C causes the decline in catalytic activity of Ni/RC. In the presence of steam, a high tar-free gas of 84.5 mmol/g was obtained at 650 °C. This study sheds light on the possibility of Ni/RC as a promising candidate for H2-rich gas production from biomass under mild conditions.

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