Coke-Resistant Ni-Co/ZrO2-CaO-Based Microwave Catalyst for Highly Effective Dry Reforming of Methane by Microwave Catalysis

The dry reforming of methane (DRM) reaction is an attractive approach to convert two greenhouse gases into valuable syngas. However, the DRM reaction remains a great challenge due to catalyst deactivation caused by coke formation. Herein, we reported a new method for a highly efficient DRM reaction by microwave catalysis and developed a novel Ni-Co/ZrO2-CaO-based microwave catalyst. Importantly, the CH4 conversion and CO2 conversion for Ni-Co/ZrO2-CaO + SiC in microwave catalytic reaction mode (MCRM) are highly up to 97.1 and 99.2%, respectively, at 800 degrees C. Comparatively, under identical reaction conditions in conventional reaction mode (CRM), the CH4 conversion and CO2 conversion is only 75.7 and 82%. Ni-Co/ZrO2-CaO + SiC catalyst showed favorable stability at 800 degrees C in the MCRM during the DRM reaction for 30 h. More importantly, it is found that microwave irradiation significantly reduced the coke formation compared with the CRM. Interestingly, microwave irradiation can accelerate the elimination of coke by dramatically speeding up the reaction between C and CO2, which exhibits a significant microwave selective catalytic effect. In addition, microwave radiation shows the direct catalytic effect of the microwave, which can reduce the apparent activation energy of the DRM reaction. Our work provides an innovative approach for the DRM reaction and thus opens a novel avenue to solve the coke formation in the DRM reaction.

Automated summary

This research introduces a novel approach to achieve efficient dry reforming of methane (DRM) through microwave catalysis and the development of a new Ni-Co/ZrO2-CaO-based microwave catalyst. The catalyst shows high efficiency and stability in the microwave catalytic reaction mode, significantly reducing coke formation and accelerating the elimination of coke by speeding up the reaction between C and CO2. Microwave radiation also demonstrates a direct catalytic effect, lowering the apparent activation energy of the DRM reaction.