Preparation and evaluation of mesoporous nickel and manganese bimetallic nanocatalysts in methane dry reforming process for syngas production

Abstract

In this paper, Ni-Mn catalysts supported on mesoporous nanocrystalline $$\upgamma \hbox {-Al}_{2}\hbox {O}_{3}$$ were prepared and employed in carbon dioxide reforming of methane for the production of synthesis gas. The physicochemical properties of the catalysts were determined by XRD, BET, TPO and SEM techniques. The obtained results revealed that the Mn-promoted catalysts exhibited higher activity and stability and lower degree of carbon formation compared to unpromoted nickel catalyst. The catalytic results showed that the 10 (wt%) Ni-3 (wt%) $$\hbox {Mn/Al}_{2}\hbox {O}_{3}$$ catalyst possessed the highest catalytic activity. The XRD results confirmed that the addition of Mn improves the dispersion of the active metal species on the catalyst or incorporates into the support due to a decrease in the crystallite size of Ni and consequently causes an increase in Ni dispersion. The 10 (wt%) Ni-3 (wt%) $$ \hbox { Mn/Al}_{2}\hbox {O}_{3}$$ catalyst was stable during 20 hour on stream without any decrease in methane conversion. SYNOPSIS Promotional role of Mn in bimetallic Ni-Mn catalyst supported on mesoporous nanocrystalline $$\upgamma \hbox {-}\hbox {Al}_{2}\hbox {O}_{3}$$ leads to strong interaction between the support and the active metal, which causes high activity and stability with no severe coke deposition compared to the monometallic sample.