Syngas production from dry reforming of glycerol by the NiO/M-Al2O3 catalysts: Effect of various support promoters and various ZrO2 content

Abstract

Glycerol dry reforming presents an intriguing approach for converting CO2, a greenhouse gas, and glycerol, a renewable resource, into syngas. This study delves into the impact of introducing 5 wt% of ZrO2, CeO2, La2O3, and Y2O3 to the Al2O3 support. Additionally, the study examines the influence of the optimal metal oxide ratio within the support formula on both structural properties and catalytic performance in the glycerol dry reforming process. To investigate these aspects, various catalyst supports were synthesized using a mechanochemical method. Subsequently, nickel-based catalysts were prepared through a wet impregnation technique. The catalysts underwent comprehensive characterization employing techniques such as XRD, BET, H2-TPR, CO2-TPD, TPO, and FESEM analyses to determine their physicochemical properties. The results demonstrated that the sample enhanced with 5 wt% ZrO2 exhibited remarkable performance metrics. Notably, it achieved a catalytic activity of 85.4% glycerol conversion at 650 ℃, while also displaying better stability and resistance to carbon deposition compared to the unpromoted catalyst throughout a 600 minutes reaction period. These enhanced attributes were attributed to the heightened specific surface area of the support (241.95 m2/gr), the effective dispersion of Ni on the support and the increase in basic sites.