The activity and stability of nickel/silica catalysts in water and methane reaction

Abstract

The activity and stability of Ni/SiO/sub 2/ catalysts were investigated for steam reforming of methane at 565C. Catalysts were prepared by the homogeneous-precipitation-deposition method, and the influence of the following parameters was investigated: nickel loading, steaming, pretreatment, and steam - methane ratio during the reaction. The activity and characterization results show the formation of two types of nickel hydrosilicate on the surface of prepared Ni/SiO/sub 2/ catalysts, and these catalysts had permanent deactivation when used at high steam-methane ratio, which occurs via surface transformation, forming a nickel hydrosilicate layer.