Preparation of nanocrystalline Ni/Al2O3 catalysts with the microemulsion method for dry reforming of methane

Mesoporous nanocrystalline nickel-alumina catalysts with high surface area were prepared by a microemulsion (ME) method and were employed in methane reforming with carbon dioxide for syngas production. The catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area analysis (BET), temperature-programmed reduction (TPR), temperature-programmed oxidation (TPO), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques. The results showed that the catalysts possessed mesoporous structure with high surface area (> 250m(2)g(-1)) and small crystallite size (approximate to 5nm). The catalytic results revealed high activity and stability for the prepared catalysts. In addition, the effect of feed ratio and GHSV on catalytic performance was investigated.