Carbon Deposition Onto Ni-Based Catalysts for Combined Steam/CO2 Reforming of Methane.

The present study was performed to suppress carbon deposition by Ce and Fe onto Ni-based catalysts in combined steam/CO2 reforming of methane (CSCRM), which is a process for producing synthesis gas (H2:CO = 2:1) for gas-to-liquids (GTL). The catalytic reaction was evaluated at 900 degrees C and 20 bar with a reactant feed ratio CH4:CO2:H20:Ar = 1:0.8:1.3:1 and gas hourly space velocity GHSV = 25,000 h(-1). The Ce and Fe modified Ni/gamma-A120, catalyst was characterized by BET surface area analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), H2 temperature-programmed reduction (TPR), H2 chemisorption, CO2 temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) and SEM. Ce- and Fe-modified Ni/Al2O3 catalysts exhibited remarkable activity and stability during the CSCRM over the course of 50 hours. It suggested that the Ni(12)-Ce(5)-Fe(5)/Al2O3 catalyst shows highly dispersed Ni particles with strong metal-to-support interaction (SMSI) as well as excellent catalytic activity.