Effect of support surface on methane dry-reforming catalyst preparation

•No-defective Silicalite-1 support allows to deposit big nickel particles.•Using highly defective MCM-41 support, smaller nickel particles are deposited.•High nickel dispersion and metal sintering resistance were obtaining using ITQ-6.•Ni-ITQ-6 catalytic results: conversion 80% for CH4 and 90% for CO2, H2/CO molar ratio >1.3.•Very low coke formation has detected using Ni-ITQ-6 (<4 wt.%).

Present investigation shows the different catalytic behavior of Ni-supported catalysts in the dry-reforming of methane. Highly ordered Silicalite-1, highly defective pure silica MCM-41 and pure silica delaminated zeolite ITQ-6 have been prepared and used as support for nickel deposition.The heterogeneity of the support surface strongly affects the nickel particles deposition. Delaminated surface of ITQ-6 material permits to obtain high nickel particles dispersion and high metal sintering resistance. The particles of Ni remain free from coke formation since they are very well dispersed and strongly linked to the support.Good overall catalytic performances was achieved by Ni-ITQ-6 catalyst, after 30 h of reaction: ≅80% of CH4 conversion, ≅90% of CO2 conversion, H2/CO molar ratio >1.3 and very low coke deposition, <4 wt.%.

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