Recent developments in sulphur-resilient catalytic systems for syngas production

The importance of sulphur resilience in hydrocarbon reforming systems cannot be overstated. Sulphur compounds can deactivate the reforming catalysts and complicate downstream separations, as well as lead to undesired side reactions that affect the overall performance of reforming. In this article, we review recent efforts in the development of sulphur-resistant catalysts, as well as process enhancements that help to prolong the operating lifetimes of conventional reforming catalysts. Here, we briefly look at the sulphur content of reforming feedstock materials, and also analyse the typical poisoning mechanisms to try to understand how to better prevent them. We then move on to consider various strategies that have been developed recently to impart sulphur resilience, including changing catalyst compositions, engineering catalyst designs, feedstock pre-treatment, and reaction design and integration to improve reforming performance. Finally, we look at some possible directions moving forward, where sulphur compounds are treated not as a nuisance to be dealt with, but as a valuable reactant that can help to produce valuable materials for clean energy generation.