Steam Reforming Research Articles

Nickel silicate CHA-type zeolite prepared by interzeolite transformation and its catalytic activity in dry reforming of methane

We newly synthesized the nickel silicate CHA-type zeolitic material (Ni-CHA) through the interzeolite transformation of the parent nickel silicate MWW-type zeolite (Ni-MWW) using the structure-directing ability of N,N,N-trimethyl-1-adamantammonium hydroxide. With increasing crystallization time under hydrothermal conditions, the parent Ni-MWW was decomposed into an X-ray amorphized nickel silicate, which was then consecutively reassembled into Ni-CHA. Furthermore, as the crystallization progressed, the framework Ni species gradually transformed from intermediate Ni to isolated Ni species, achieving a more thermodynamically stable chemical state. The metallic Ni clusters can be formed by exsolving from the CHA framework during the high-temperature reduction treatment, which were mainly distributed on the external surface. A series of in-situ reduced Ni-CHA-x catalysts obtained after different crystallization times (x = 0–72 h) were applied to the dry reforming of methane to evaluate their catalytic activity corresponding to the differences in crystallinity and chemical state. As a result, the interzeolite transformed Ni-CHA-72 h catalyst exhibited the highest catalytic performance even compared to the Ni-impregnated commercial SSZ-13.

Influence of the Interaction of Nickel and Copper with Ceria on Ethanol Steam Reforming over Ni-Cu-CeO2 Catalysts

Catalysts of nickel-ceria, nickel-copper-ceria, and copper-ceria were explored with respect to their properties for hydrogen production through ethanol steam reforming (ESR). They were prepared by coprecipitation of the components within inverse microemulsions to achieve intimate contact between them, and the catalysts were characterized by N2 adsorption measurements, XRD, Raman spectroscopy, TPR, and XPS. The catalysts were tested for the ESR reaction, and they were regenerated with oxygen when significant deactivation took place, as occurred for the copper-containing systems. In contrast, the nickel–ceria catalyst exhibits a high activity and stability despite the formation of an important amount of carbon deposits during the course of the ESR test. The presence of nickel sites, which strongly interact with the ceria support, and which are affected by the presence of copper, and the limitation of copper for C-C bond breaking are invoked to explain the results obtained on the whole.

Reforming of methane over two-dimensional Mo2C-Ni/γ-Al2O3 catalyst

The impact of two-dimensional Mo2C (2D-Mo2C) on the activity and stability of a Ni/γ-Al2O3 catalyst for the dry reforming of methane (DRM) is reported. 1.1 wt% 2D-Mo2C added to 13 wt% Ni/γ-Al2O3 increased activity by ∼40 %. Characterization results showed an interaction between 2D-Mo2C and Ni that resulted in the formation of a NixMoy bulk phase (XRD) and Ni-Mo-oxycarbide surface species (XPS). The presence of 2D-Mo2C also improved the stability of the catalyst compared to Ni/γ-Al2O3 by reducing coke deposition. H2 space-time-yields (STYs) were independent of CO2 partial pressure and were lower than the CO STYs. Power law kinetic models were consistent with a DRM reaction pathway via CH4 decomposition (MD) and the reverse Boudouard (RBD) reactions.

The Role of Catalysts in Life Cycle Assessment Applied to Biogas Reforming

The real implementation of biogas reforming at an industrial scale to obtain interesting products (like hydrogen or syngas) is a developing research field where multidisciplinary teams are continuously adding improvements and innovative technologies. These works can contribute to the proliferation of green technologies where the circular economy and sustainability are key points. To assess the sustainability of these processes, there are different tools like life cycle assessment (LCA), which involves a complete procedure where even small details count to consider a certain technology sustainable or not. The aim of this work was to review works where LCA is applied to different aspects of biogas reforming, focusing on the role of catalysts, which are essential to improve the efficiency of a certain process but can also contribute to its environmental impact. In conclusion, catalysts have an influence on LCA through the improvement of catalytic performance and the impact of their production, whereas other aspects related to biogas or methane reforming could equally affect their catalytic durability or reusability, with a subsequent effect on LCA. Further research about this subject is required, as this is a continuously changing technology with plenty of possibilities, in order to homogenize this research field.

Design and multi-objective optimization of hybrid process of membrane separation and electrochemical hydrogen pump for hydrogen production from biogas

A new hybrid process for hydrogen (H2) production that including membrane separation, electrochemical hydrogen pump (EHP) and steam methane reforming (SMR) was proposed. Firstly, the combination of two different membranes (PEO-CA) is applied to upgrade the biogas and capture CO2. Secondly, to avoid the toxic effect of CO on the EHP catalyst and, more importantly, to improve the H2 purity, the reforming reaction module is supplemented with water gas shift after the SMR. Finally, EHP is used to achieve high purity hydrogen. Simultaneously, the heat and power integration are considered to improve system efficiency. Sensitivity analysis, maximal information coefficient method and response surface methodology are applied to establish the correlation between objectives and parameters. Then, the second generation multi-objective non-dominated genetic algorithm (NSGA-II) is utilized to achieve minimum levelized cost of hydrogen (LCoH) and carbon emission per unit of hydrogen (ECO2). The optimized LCoH is 2.72 $/kgH2, and the ECO2 is 3.24 kgCO2e. Multi-stage membrane carbon capture process enhances CH4 conversion in SMR. The application of EHP reduces energy consumption and enhances hydrogen yield compared to PSA. The innovative use of membrane is hybridized with EHP to achieve the system intensification. The new hybrid process has a significant advantage in terms of ECO2 (37.45% reduction), although the price is higher compared to conventional biogas-to-hydrogen processes. Thus the new process is a promising low-carbon hydrogen production process from biogas.

Techno-economic assessment of gasoline production from Fe-assisted lignocellulosic biomass hydrothermal liquefaction process with minimized waste stream

Techno-economic analyses were conducted on an iron-assisted hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) process for converting lignocellulosic biomass into gasoline, comparing two approaches for minimizing by-product streams. The primary difference between the two approaches lies in their hydrogen (H₂) source for upgrading bio-crude to bio-gasoline. Scheme 1 utilizes residual water-soluble and gaseous compounds from the process to generate the H₂ needed for upgrading. Scheme 2, on the other hand, converts these waste streams into heat to supply part of the required energy, while external H₂ from steam methane reforming (with or without CO₂ capture) or water electrolysis (green hydrogen) is used for upgrading. Both schemes use pinewood and red mud as feedstocks. Red mud, after the reduction of Fe₂O3 to metallic iron, is employed in the HTL reactor as a hydrogen producer, enhancing both the yield and quality of the bio-crude while minimizing the H2 consumption in the upgrading unit. The HTL reactor was modeled based on optimal operating conditions experimentally determined while sensitivity analyses were performed on the other scheme’s units to determine their optimal conditions. A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) was also conducted to measure the environmental impact of the two scenarios.Both schemes produce 459 tonnes of gasoline equivalent per day, consuming 33 tonnes of H2. Scheme 2 achieves a minimum fuel selling price (MFSP) of $0.94 per liter of gasoline equivalent (LGE), with methane reforming and CO₂ capture providing the lowest emissions (1.13 kg CO₂-Eq per kg of LGE). Scheme 1 has a slightly higher MFSP of $0.96 per LGE but is more environmentally sustainable, with a LCA showing 1.11 kg CO₂-Eq per kg of LGE.

Co–Fe/Al2O3 catalyst for low-temperature steam reforming of phenol for hydrogen production

In this study, a series of high-efficient catalyst, Co–Fe/Al2O3, were synthesized via the sol-gel method for low-temperature phenol steam reforming (PSR). The optimized catalyst, 15Co–2Fe/Al2O3, exhibited a remarkable phenol conversion of 95.3%, a H2 yield of 92.1% at 450 °C, GHSV = 7500 h−1 and a steam-to-carbon (S/C) ratio of 10. Furthermore, the catalyst activity was maintained for 660 min before a gradual decline was observed. The NH3-TPD analysis revealed that the addition of Fe enhanced the surface acidity of the catalyst, providing more active sites for phenol adsorption and activation. This study aims to address the challenges associated with high reaction temperatures and poor catalyst stability in PSR. Various characterization techniques have been employed to investigate the reaction mechanisms of bimetallic catalysts in low-temperature PSR.

Exploring the superior mild temperature performance of nickel-infused fibrous titania silica for enhanced dry reforming of methane

Carbon (IV) oxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions and global warming. One potential approach for reducing their environmental impact is transforming these gases into synthesis gas (CO + H2). This study illustrates the advancement of catalysts supported by fibrous titania silica (FTS), which have nickel loadings of 1%, 3%, and 5%. The FTS support, a modified variant of silica-titania, has a distinct fibrous structure and exhibits mesoporous material properties such as a type IV isotherm and an H1 hysteresis loop. After 72 h of operation, the 1Ni/FTS catalyst converted over 80% of CH4 and CO2 with low coke deposition, outperforming other catalysts. The bare FTS support had reduced CH4 conversion at 600°C, CO2 conversion at 650°C, and H2/CO ratio at 700°C. However, the 5Ni/FTS and 3Ni/FTS catalysts showed consistent increases in CH4 conversion at 600°C. The 1Ni/FTS catalyst, with a pore size of 7.39 nm, had strong metal-support interaction and moderate basicity sites, which helped with reactant dissociation and coke gasification. Despite the slightly higher CH4 conversion of the 3Ni/FTS catalyst and the high basicity of the 5Ni/FTS catalyst, the 1Ni/FTS catalyst demonstrated superior thermal stability and coking resistance, as evidenced by negligible weight loss during TGA analysis. Raman shifts revealed the presence of carbon synthesis and the buildup of disordered amorphous carbon. The Id/Ig ratios of FTS, 1Ni/FTS, 3Ni/FTS, and 5Ni/FTS were 1.01, 0.98, 1.01, and 1.01, respectively. The lower Id/Ig ratio of 1Ni/FTS suggests less disorder. The FTS support promises mild-temperature, carbon-neutral CH4 reforming with long-term catalytic applications. This study demonstrates the efficacy of FTS-supported catalysts in constructing long-term and efficient systems for converting greenhouse gasses.

Catalyst breakthroughs in methane dry reforming: Employing machine learning for future advancements

Rising levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) have sparked the interest of researchers in resolving this issue. Various technologies have been utilized such as dry reformation of methane (DRM), that turns these greenhouse gases (GHGs) into syngas. Numerous studies have been done in recent years to produce efficient and competitive catalysts for DRM. However, a “state of the art” review is still required due to a lack of literature on improvements and scalability of robust catalytic systems. This study aims to evaluate recent advancements in catalyst formulations, their activities, stability, and selectivity. We have discussed a variety of materials, including Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOF), a type of two-dimensional transition metal carbides and nitrides (MXene), reducible and irreducible metal oxides, transition metal oxides, zeolites, carbon, and biochar-based catalysts, which are responsible for improving the effectiveness of the DRM process. Furthermore, machine learning (ML) approaches are highlighted for their potential in catalyst design and optimization, providing increased accuracy and efficiency. This review highlights major enhancements to the DRM method, which result in higher hydrogen yield and catalyst stability. Novel catalysts have been created to tackle crucial problems including coking and sintering, which are necessary to progress commercialization. To ensure successful commercial application, future research should concentrate on finding catalysts with excellent features that are also economically viable. This study provides a significant resource for future catalyst development and promotes greater cooperation between academic and commercial communities.

Self-regenerative Ni/SiO2 for dry reforming of methane (DRM): 1000 h-longevity assessment and operando insights to coke removal under N2 atmosphere

Commercializing Ni-catalyst for dry reforming of methane (DRM) has yet to be realized due to two known issues: catalyst sintering and carbon deposition. Significantly, our developed tremella-like Ni/SiO2 has previously demonstrated outstanding resilience against sintering under prolonged heat exposure. The carry-on investigation herein further showcases its interesting self-regenerative behavior, which enables carbon removal and full activity restoration under inert N2-blanket. Better still, the resultant N2-regenerated Ni/SiO2 can immediately re-apply to DRM, contrasted to the traditional oxidative-regenerated counterpart that mandated intermediate reduction process for catalyst re-activation. Characterization results indicate that an appreciable portion (32.05 %) of deposited Ni (7.3 wt%) is reducible into active metallic phase; however, only 1.233 % of them are resided on the surface of Ni/SiO2 and involved in DRM. Despite such low involvement rate, >90 % CO2 and CH4 conversion could still be attained initially, reasonably due to the morphological prominence of the catalyst. Longevity experiment confirmed the adequacy of intermittent N2-regeneration in removing deposited carbonaceous, mechanistically assisted by the labile O-atom migrated from SiO2 support. Upon 4 h N2-regeneration, thorough activity restoration of Ni/SiO2 can be facilely realized, thereafter sustaining DRM for 1000 h with CO2 conversion controlled at > 78 %. The results herein provide important insights to DRM community, where the demonstrated N2-self-regeneration process promises a reduction-free, time- and cost-saving solution to DRM catalysts beyond Ni/SiO2.

Study on K-modified Ca-based dual-functional materials for carbon capture and in-situ methane dry reforming

Integrated carbon capture and in-situ methane dry reforming (ICCU-DRM) is a promising technology for chemical looping transformation, this process involves the sequential switching of feedstocks within a single reactor, allowing CO2 capture to occur before methane dry reforming without direct CO2-CH4 contact. However, a significant challenge in the ICCU-DRM process is the disparity between the optimal temperatures required for carbon capture and dry reforming, with the latter necessitating considerably higher temperatures. This could lead to substantial CO2 losses when the reaction temperature is elevated to the optimal level for dry reforming. To address this issue and improve CO2 conversion efficiency, this study explores K doping in synthesizing a dual-functional material, NiCa1.6K0.4@Al2O3, through extrusion-spheronization. The synthesized material exhibits a stable pore structure and a large internal surface area, crucial for enhancing CO2 capture. The optimum temperature for DRM is around 800 °C. Notably, the formation of 1K2Ca(CO3)2 during the calcination of NiCa1.6K0.4@Al2O3, with a thermal decomposition temperature of approximately 800°C, plays a crucial role in minimizing CO2 release during the heating process, thereby significantly improving the CO2 conversion. To evaluate the impact of K doping on the material, the samples were subjected to carbon capture at 650 °C and dry reforming of methane at 750 °C. The results showed that the CO2 conversion rate of NiCa1.6K0.4@Al2O3 reached 52.8%, compared to only 18.9% for NiCa2@Al2O3 under the same conditions. Moreover, this study also investigates the impact of carbon capture temperature, dry reforming temperature, and catalytic metal loading on the performance of the ICCU-DRM process.

Regulating crystal phase of TiO2 to enhance catalytic activity of Ni/TiO2 for solar-driven dry reforming of methane

Ni/TiO2 catalyst is widely employed for photo-driven DRM reaction while the influence of crystal structure of TiO2 remains unclear. In this work, the rutile/anatase ratio in supports was successfully controlled by varying the calcination temperature of anatase-TiO2. Structural characterizations revealed that a distinct TiOx coating on the Ni nanoparticles (NPs) was evident for Ni/TiO2-700 catalyst due to strong metal-support interaction. It is observed that the TiOx overlayer gradually disappeared as the ratio of rutile/anatase increased, thereby enhancing the exposure of Ni active sites. The exposed Ni sites enhanced visible light absorption and boosted the dissociation capability of CH4, which led to the much elevated catalytic activity for Ni/ TiO2-950 in which rutile dominated. Therefore, the catalytic activity of solar-driven DRM reaction was significantly influenced by the rutile/anatase ratio. Ni/TiO2-950, characterized by a predominant rutile phase, exhibited the highest DRM reactivity, with remarkable H2 and CO production rates reaching as high as 87.4 and 220.2 mmol/(g·h), respectively. These rates were approximately 257 and 130 times higher, respectively, compared to those obtained on Ni/TiO2-700 with anatase. This study suggests that the optimization of crystal structure of TiO2 support can effectively enhance the performance of photothermal DRM reaction.

Effect of cobalt on the activity of nickel-based/magnesium-substituted hydroxyapatite catalysts for dry reforming of methane

The dry reforming of methane (DRM) reaction can directly convert methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) into syngas (H2+CO), which is a promising method for achieving carbon neutralization. In this study, a series of 3Ni-xCo/Mg1HAP alloy catalysts with different ratios were synthesized by the coprecipitation method, and the optimum Ni/Co ratio for the DRM reaction was studied. A series of characterization methods revealed that after Co was added, the formation of Ni–Co alloys increased the interactions between metals. However, an excess of Co inhibits the entry of Ni into the lattice of Mg1HAP, resulting in metal accumulation on the surface of the support. In addition, the introduction of Co improves the dispersion of Ni metal, which endows the catalyst with better catalytic activity and stability. Raman spectroscopy of the catalyst after the stability test showed that the addition of Co reduced the proportion of graphitic carbon, which was also the main reason for its improved stability.

High purity H2 resource from methanol steam reforming at low-temperature by spinel CuGa2O4 catalyst for fuel cell

Methanol steam reforming (MSR) is an effective way to provide high purity hydrogen for PEMFCs, however the main challenge is the toxic effect of CO. In this study, CuGa2O4 spinel catalyst was applied first for MSR at low temperature. The properties of catalysts were characterized by various techniques, the MSR catalytic performance was also studied in deeply. The surface of the catalyst is composed of particle chains that are interconnected, forming high-volume pores that increase the specific surface area. The catalyst also has a rich porous structure, exposing more active sites. Furthermore, the presence of oxygen vacancies facilitates the adsorption of reactive oxygen species, reducing CO generation. A possible pathway for methanol dehydrogenation has been determined using DFT calculations. The relatively low overall energy barrier on the catalyst surface facilitates methanol activation. Among the steps, formaldehyde dehydrogenation is the rate-determining step in the methanol dehydrogenation process. The CuGa2O4 catalyst exhibits good gas selectivity, with a hydrogen selectivity of 98 % and CO selectivity of 0. and no deactivation occurred within 50 h, demonstrating outstanding durability. These features allow it to serve as an efficient catalyst for MSR online hydrogen production and direct supply to PEMFCs.

Metal redispersion strategy for regeneration of sepiolite derived Co-phyllosilicate catalyst during glycerol steam reforming

Metal sintering and coke deposition have become main and irreversible obstacles for catalyst deactivation during H2 production from glycerol steam reforming (GSR). The regenerability of 15Co/SEP catalyst with a phyllosilicate derived strong metal-support interaction (SMSI) was probed by five successive GSR/regeneration cycles in order to evaluate the deactivation process and initial reactivity recovery. Two different regeneration methods were selected for the cycles: redox regeneration and combined regeneration. After the combined regeneration, reproducible GSR behaviors were obtained among the whole cycles. An almost recovery of initial activity (∼94 % of conversion and ∼ 73 % of H2 yield) and 50 h stability was noticed at 15Co/SEP-5 catalyst. By various characterizations analysis of fresh and spent catalysts, it was observed that irreversible metal sintering was aggravated by the redox regeneration, thus provoked initial activity loss and accelerated coking deactivation tendency. The combined regeneration achieved phyllosilicate recrystallization and metal exsolution/redispersion by a combination of NH4F-HNO3 assisted recrystallization and redox treatments, which ensured a small increase in Co0 nanoparticle size (13.2 nm vs. 15.3 nm) and coke deposition (23.9 wt% vs. 27.3 wt%) and inconspicuous change in the C1 species selectivity. The results suggested that 15Co/SEP catalyst is a promising candidate for commercialized GSR due to the favorable regenerability.

Plasma‐catalytic one‐step steam reforming of methane to methanol: Revealing the catalytic cycle on Cu/mordenite

Plasma‐catalytic one‐step steam reforming of methane to methanol: Revealing the catalytic cycle on Cu/mordenite

Dry Reforming of Methane to Syngas Mediated by Rhodium-Cobalt Oxide Cluster Anions Rh2CoO.

Dry reforming of methane (DRM) to syngas is an important route to co-convert CH4 and CO2. However, the highly endothermic nature of DRM induces the thermocatalysis to commonly operate at high temperatures that inevitably causes coke deposition through pyrolysis of methane. Herein, benefiting from the mass spectrometric experiments complemented with quantum chemical calculations, we have discovered that the bimetallic oxide cluster Rh2CoO- can mediate the co-conversion of CH4 and CO2 at room temperature giving rise to two free H2 molecules and two adsorbed CO molecules (COads). The only elementary step requiring the input of external energy (e.g., high temperature) is desorption of COads from the reaction intermediate Rh2CoOC2O2-. The doping effect of Co has also been clarified that the Co could tune the charge distribution and orbital energy of the active metal Rh, enabling the enhancement of cluster reactivity toward C-H activation, which is essential to facilitating the DRM to syngas. This work not only underlines the importance of temperature control over elementary steps in practical thermocatalysis but also identifies a promising active species containing the late 3d transition metal to drive DRM to syngas. The findings could provide novel insights into design of bimetallic catalysts for co-conversion of CH4 and CO2 at low temperatures.

Synthesis of bentonite-supported Ni, La, and Ca catalysts for hydrogen production through steam reforming of acetic acid

In this study, the production of hydrogen-rich gas through the steam reforming of acetic acid using bentonite-supported catalysts was investigated. Bentonite was treated by washing and calcination. Bentonite-supported Ni, Ca, La, Ni–La, and Ni–Ca catalysts with different active metal loadings of 10 and 30 wt% were synthesized using the wet impregnation method. The catalysts were characterized using XRD, XRF, SEM, EDS, BET, FT-IR, NH3-TPD, and Raman. The activity tests of the catalysts were carried out in a continuous flow tubular reactor at various temperatures (500, 600, 700, and 800 °C). Product gas composition was determined by gas chromatography (μ-GC). The effect of bentonite treatment, active metal type, and bimetallic combinations (Ni/Bent, Ni/Bent*, La/Bent, Ca/Bent, Ni–La/Bent, and Ni–Ca/Bent) were studied. The highest hydrogen yield obtained without a catalyst was 8.61% at 700 °C. This yield increased to 74.5% at 600 °C with 30 wt% Ni–La/Bentonite, and to 42.6% with 30 wt% Ni/Bentonite catalysts, respectively. The experimental results show that bentonite has a suitable catalytic activity on its own and is a promising support material for the steam reforming of acetic acid.

Sustainable waste-to-hydrogen energy conversion through face mask waste gasification integrated with steam methane reformer and water-gas shift reactor

The burgeoning environmental crisis and the urgent need for sustainable energy solutions underscore the importance of innovative waste-to-energy conversion technologies. This study aims to an efficient utilize of face mask waste for a novel energy system to address waste management and energy production simultaneously by introducing an integrated system comprising a gasifier reactor, steam methane reformer, and water-gas shift reactor, designed to convert face mask waste into a hydrogen-rich syngas. The gasifier reactor initiates the process with a hydrogen flow rate of 2.352 mol/h, which is subsequently enriched to 5.405 mol/h in the steam methane reformer and further to 6.132 mol/h in the water-gas shift reactor, marking a cumulative increase of 160%. Methane content, initially at 2.017 mol/h, is reduced by 38.4% post-reforming and remains stable through the water-gas shift reaction. Carbon monoxide sees a significant reduction from 0.8558 mol/h to 0.1817 mol/h, a decrease of 78.8%. The findings of this study have profound implications for the energy sector, demonstrating the potential of the integrated system to not only mitigate waste but also to produce clean energy efficiently. The substantial increase in hydrogen content across the reactors highlights the system's capability to support the burgeoning hydrogen economy, while the management of carbon oxides aligns with environmental sustainability goals. The value of this study lies in its contribution to the advancement of waste-to-energy technologies and its role in shaping future energy policies and practices.

Steam reforming of dodecane using Ni-red mud catalyst: A sustainable approach for hydrogen production

Conventional energy sources emit huge amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere causing global warming. Hydrogen (H2) is an alternative clean energy carrier that produces only heat and water vapor upon combustion. In this work, we utilized industrial waste material (Red Mud, RM) to develop a cost-effective and efficient catalyst for steam reforming of diesel (n-dodecane as a model compound) for hydrogen production. We impregnated nickel (Ni), a prudent and effective metal, in red mud (RM) in varied proportions to employ as a catalyst for hydrogen production. The catalysts' structure was characterized by powdered X-ray Diffraction (PXRD), Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES) and Electron Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) were used to measure the elemental composition while Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) was used to investigate the catalysts’ morphology. Surface area and porosity were analyzed using the N2 adsorption/desorption isotherms, and H2-Temperature Programmed Reduction (H2-TPR) to study the reducibility and interaction of Ni species to the RM. The catalysts were then evaluated for hydrogen production by the steam reforming process of n-dodecane (SRD). It was found that the catalyst with 20% Ni loading (20% Ni@RM) can produce hydrogen with selectivity as high as 75%, and stability for 20 h with a negligible decline in the catalyst performance.