Autothermal reforming of model purified biogas using an extruded honeycomb monolith: A new catalyst based on nickel incorporated illite clay promoted with MgO

The dry reforming of methane was investigated using a novel catalyst based on natural illite clay to which nickel and magnesium has been added into moldable paste easily extrudated into honeycomb monolith. This approach can represent a significant breakthrough offering an alternative to conventional costly wash-coated ceramic substrates usually difficult to optimize, and a gain in efficiency thanks to the minimization of transfer limitations. The best catalytic performance were obtained with illite clay containing 8 wt.%Ni and 3 wt.%Mg, yielding to excellent conversions of CH4 and CO2 at 800 degrees C of respectively 81% and 76%. The catalytic enhancement observed on magnesium-doped systems was attributed to the stabilization of smaller Ni particles associated with the formation of NiO-MgO solid solution which slows down particle sintering. The obtained results suggest different types of nickel-support interactions in addition to improved basic properties inducing synergy effects on the rate of methane and CO2 conversion and higher resistance to deactivation phenomena. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.