Effect of the Nickel Source on the Structure, Performance, and Carbon Deposition of the Ni/Al2O3 Catalyst for CO2-CH4 Reforming

Ni/Al2O3 catalysts were prepared with Ni(NO3)(2)center dot 6H(2)O, NiSO4 center dot 6H(2)O, NiCl2 center dot 6H(2)O, and NiC4H6O4 center dot 4H(2)O as nickel sources by the solution combustion method. The catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction, H-2 temperature-programmed hydrogenation, TG-DTG, TPH, and transmission electron microscopy methods, and the effect of the nickel source on performance of the Ni/Al2O3 catalyst was investigated via the CO2-CH4 reforming experiment. Results showed that Ni dispersion, Ni size, and the metal-support interaction between active component Ni and the support were influenced significantly by anion in nickel sources, resulting in that the performance of each catalyst was different. Highly dispersed Ni species, small Ni crystallite size, and strong metal-support interaction were presented in the Ni/Al2O3 catalysts with Ni(NO3)(2)center dot 6H(2)O and NiSO4 center dot 6H(2)O as nickel sources. Evaluation results showed that the catalyst prepared with Ni(NO3)(2)center dot 6H(2)O exhibited higher activity and stability, with CH4 and CO2 conversions of 31.21 and 48.97%. Carbon deposition analysis demonstrated that the catalyst prepared with NiSO4 center dot 6H(2)O contained more graphite carbon.

Automated summary

Ni/Al2O3 catalysts were prepared using different nickel sources, and it was found that the anions in the nickel sources significantly influenced the catalyst performance. The catalyst prepared with Ni(NO3)(2)center dot 6H(2)O exhibited higher activity and stability.