Preparation of bimetallic Ni@Ru nanoparticles supported on SiO2 and their catalytic performance for CO methanation

Abstract

Bimetallic Ni@Ru nanoparticles with Ni core and Ru shell supported on SiO2 were prepared by impregnation method using a perovskite-type oxide of LaRuxNi1−xO3 as the precursor and used as catalysts for CO methanation. The catalysts were characterized by using BET, XRD, H2-TPR, HRTEM + EDX, ICP, H2 chemisorption, XPS and TGA techniques. By reducing the catalysts with hydrogen, bimetallic nanoparticles with the structure of nickel shell and ruthenium core of Ru@Ni supported on SiO2 doped with La2O3 were made, and the Ru would migrate to the surface of the Ni-Ru cluster forming the ruthenium shell and nickel core of Ni@Ru under CO atmosphere. The supported bimetal catalysts with core–shell structure by doping small amount of noble metal exhibited very good catalytic performance for CO methanation, especially showed excellent resistance to carbon deposition and metal sintering, while the monometallic catalyst of nickel showed inferior catalytic performance.