Overcoming the kinetic and deactivation limitations of Ni catalyst by alloying it with Zn for the dry reforming of methane

Stimulated by the capacity of Zn to improve the adoption of CO2 and CH4, we doped a Ni-supported ZrO2 catalyst with Zn to enhance its performance and stability in the dry reforming of methane. We prepared a set of catalysts with different Ni:Zn:Zr proportions and conducted extensive ex situ and in situ characterizations to prove that a Ni-Zn alloy was formed at 750 degrees C under reductive conditions. Combining a tailored morphology of the alloy nanoparticles, strong metal-support (ZnO-ZrO2) interactions, and additional oxygen vacancies created by Zn inclusion resulted in an enhanced catalyst with 15% higher initial activity and higher stability for over 100 h on stream than Zn-free catalyst. Our experimental and modeling results demonstrated that the catalyst with adjusted Ni:Zn:Zr proportion improves the adsorption and reaction rates of CH4 and CO2 while extending its lifetime through enhanced coke precursor gasification compared to its Zn-free counterpart.

Automated summary

This study enhances the performance and stability of a Ni-supported ZrO2 catalyst in the dry reforming of methane by doping with Zn. By adjusting the Ni:Zn:Zr ratio and conducting in situ and ex situ characterizations, it is confirmed that a Ni-Zn alloy is formed under reductive conditions. The resulting catalyst, with tailored morphology of alloy nanoparticles, strong metal-support interactions (ZnO-ZrO2), and additional oxygen vacancies from Zn inclusion, shows 15% higher initial activity and higher stability compared to the Zn-free catalyst.