Synthesis of a novel 3 %Ru/CeZr0.5GdO4 nanocatalyst and its application in the dry and steam reforming of methane

Abstract

A novel 3 %Ru/CeZr0.5GdO4 nanocatalyst was synthesized by the wet impregnation method and evaluated for its catalytic activity in dry and steam reforming of methane at atmospheric pressure, seven various temperatures (from 500 to 800 °C) and two different gas hourly space velocity values (7000, 10,500 h−1). The thermogravimetric diagrams of the used catalysts did not illustrate any carbon deposition on the catalysts applied in both the dry and steam reforming processes and this valuable phenomenon was supported by the scanning electron microscopy images. The low onset reduction temperature in the temperature-programmed reduction profile of the 3 %Ru/CeZr0.5GdO4 at 183.21 °C reflected much convenient reducibility/oxygen mobility property of the catalyst. Comparing the CH4 conversions in the dry reforming (92 %) and steam reforming (97 %) reactions using the gas hourly space velocity = 10,500 h−1 at 800 °C indicated higher efficiency of the steam reforming process. The time on stream experiments for the dry and steam reforming reactions exhibited that the CH4 and CO2 conversions are almost constant (and even they are slightly increased in the dry reforming) after 30 h reflecting the catalyst outstanding stability with time, absence of coke deposition and catalyst very high activity.