Structure-Sensitivity of CO2 Methanation over Nanostructured Ni Supported on CeO2 Nanorods

Ni-based oxides are widely investigated as catalysts for CO2 methanation due to their high activity, high selectivity and low cost. The catalytic performances of Ni-based catalysts depend on support properties that strongly influence the dispersion of the catalytic active phase and the Ni-support interaction. Although the CO2 methanation is widely studied, the structure sensitivity of methanation on nickel is not completely assessed. Ni/CeO2 nanorods with different nickel/ceria molar ratios (0.05, 0.10, 0.20, 0.30) were prepared by one-pot hydrothermal synthesis. The effect of nickel content and metal particle size on catalytic activity and selectivity for CO2 methanation were studied using CO2:H-2 = 1:4 stoichiometric ratio at high space velocity (300 L g(-1) h(-1)). Sample structure and morphology were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer-Emmet-Teller (BET) analysis, field-emission scanning electron microscopy/energy-dispersive spectroscopy (FE-SEM/EDS), H-2-temperature programmed reduction (TPR), H-2-temperature-programmed desorption (TPD). Both the CO production and the turnover frequency appear depending on nickel particle size, suggesting a structure sensitivity of the CO2 methanation on nickel supported on ceria.