Effect of preparation methods of CeO2 on the properties and performance of Ni/CeO2 in CO2 reforming of CH4

Abstract

CO2 reforming of CH4 (CRM) is not only beneficial to environmental protection, but also valuable for industrial application. Different CeO2 supports were prepared to investigate the matching between Ni and CeO2 over Ni/CeO2 and its effect on CRM. The physicochemical properties of Ni/CeO2-C (commercial CeO2), Ni/CeO2-H (hydrothermal method) as well as Ni/CeO2-P (precipitation method) were characterized by XRD, N2 adsorption at − 196 °C, TEM, SEM–EDS, H2-TPR, NH3-TPD and XPS. Ni0 with good dispersion and CeO2 with more oxygen vacancies were obtained on Ni/CeO2-H, proving the influence on Ni/CeO2 catalysts caused by the preparation methods of CeO2. The initial conversion of both CO2 and CH4 of Ni/CeO2-H was more than five times that of Ni/CeO2-P and Ni/CeO2-C. The better matching between Ni and CeO2 on Ni/CeO2-H was the reason for its best catalytic performance in comparison with the Ni/CeO2-C and Ni/CeO2-P samples.