Synthesis of stable Ni-CeO2 catalysts via ball-milling for ethanol steam reforming

•A nanoconfined Ni-CeO2 catalyst was successfully prepared by an ball-milling method.•The Ni-CeO2 catalyst has strong metal–support interaction and high oxygen mobility compared.•The Ni-CeO2 catalyst has a high activity in ESR with a yield of 45 molH2 molNi−1 h−1 at 350 °C.•The Ni-CeO2 catalyst is superior stable even upon a 2 h severe thermal treatment.

This paper describes the fabrication of Ni-CeO2 catalysts for ethanol steam reforming via an easy ball-milling process using skeletal Ni and powder CeO2 as precursors. Hydrogen production from reforming of biomass-derived oxygenates is one of the most promising energy acquisition methods. Although Ni-based catalysts have been intensively employed in reforming reactions, they commonly suffer severe deactivation due to sintering of metal particles and carbon deposition. The prepared Ni-CeO2 catalysts were examined via BET, XRD, TPR, TEM, and compared to a reference Ni/CeO2 catalysts prepared by a conventional method. Due to the nanoconfinement of nickel particles by the support and the strong metal-support interaction, the Ni-CeO2 catalyst has superior ability for anti-sintering and -coke, thus has high reactivity and stability in reforming reactions. This preparation method is facile and favorable from the practical point of view.

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