Fe/HZSM-5 synergizes with biomass pyrolysis carbon to reform CH4–CO2 to syngas in microwave field

Abstract

CO 2 reforming of CH 4 to syngas, an important chemical raw material, has received widespread attention. However, the use of noble metal catalysts and high energy consumption limit their application. In this study, microwave-assisted dry reforming over mixtures of Fe/HZSM-5 and biomass pyrolysis carbon (BPC) was studied. Additionally, the influence of different reaction conditions and catalysts on the reforming efficiency was examined. Our results demonstrated that microwave heating improved the dry reforming process while reducing the cost of catalysts used. At a microwave power of 700 W, and the space velocity of 2.4 L/(h∙g), CO 2 and CH 4 conversion reached 91.27% and 63.03%, respectively. In addition, Fe/HZSM-5 showed synergistic effects with BPC, and the migration of active metals was responsible for the synergistic effects. The microwave reforming effect was better than that of conventional heating reforming, and the unique effects of microwave fields facilitated the conversion process. This study makes a useful contribution to the improvement of new dry reforming methods. • The effect of microwave dry reforming is better than that of conventional reforming. • Fe/HZSM-5 has a synergistic effect with biomass pyrolysis carbon. • Microwave hot-spots enhance the reaction performance of Fe-based catalysts.