Influence of Support on Ni Catalyst Performance in DRM

Abstract

The present work examined the impact of various support materials on the type of Ni-based catalysts and their activity in the methane dry reforming reaction. The study's characterization methods include determining the surface area of the catalysts using the N2 physisorption technique, x-ray diffraction, and thermogravimetric analysis. As it was established from the research, the support material affected the NiO species in the catalyst. Supports material like CeO2 displayed feeble binding with the NiO resulting in easy reduction of the catalytic during activation. Nonetheless, this weak interaction can also lead to quicker deactivation due to the aggregation of the active Ni species. On the other hand, ZrO2 also reacted with NiO though the extent of their interaction was higher than that of CeO2. This could help greatly impede the reduction process required for activation.
This could lead to the preparation of support material with desirable textural characteristics and acceptable interaction of Ni with the support. These two factors helped in the dissemination and settling of NiO species. Therefore, the Ni catalyst supported on ZrO2 exhibited enhanced performance in methane dry reforming