Stable Ni/ZrO2 catalyst for carbon dioxide reforming of methane

Abstract

Nickel catalysts supported on Al 2 O 3 , SiO 2 , TiO 2 , and two ZrO 2 of different preparations are studied for CO 2 reforming of methane at 1030 K. The results show that the activity and anti-carbon property of the nickel catalyst depend greatly on the nature of the support. While zirconia is a good support for highly active and selective nickel catalyst, the preparation method of this support affects strongly the catalyst stability. Ni/ZrO 2 prepared by impregnation of ultra-fine zirconium hydroxide with nickel nitrate is able to survive and maintain low level of carbon deposition and is extremely stable (>600 h) for the reforming reaction. Effect of the nickel load on the catalyst activity and stability indicates that the dispersion of nickel seems not the sole factor for long lasting Ni/ZrO 2 catalyst.