One-Pot Synthesis of Ordered Mesoporous NiO-CaO-Al2O3 Composite Oxides for Catalyzing CO2 Reforming of CH4

Ordered mesoporous tricompound NiOCaO-Al2O3 composite oxides with various Ca content were first designed and facilely synthesized via a one pot, evaporation induced, self assembly (EISA) strategy. The obtained mesoporous materials with advantageous textural properties and superior thermal stabilities were investigated as the catalysts for the carbon dioxide reforming of methane reaction. These mesoporous catalysts entirely showed high catalytic activities as well as king catalytic stabilities toward this reaction. The improved catalytic activities were suggested to be closely associated with the advantageous structural properties, such as large specific surface areas; big pore volumes; and uniform pore sizes, which could provide sufficient "accessible" active centers for the gaseous reactants. In addition, the "confinement effect" of the mesoporous matrixes contributed to stabilizing the Ni active sites during the processes of reduction and reaction, accounting for the long lifetime stabilities of these mesoporous catalysts. The modification of Ca played dual roles in promoting the catalytic activities and suppressing the carbon deposition by enhancing the chemisorption of the CO2. Generally, the ordered mesoporous NiO-CaO-Al2O3 composite oxides could be considered as promising catalysts for the carbon dioxide reforming of methane reaction.