CO2 reforming of methane to syngas over highly-stable Ni/SBA-15 catalysts prepared by P123-assisted method

Ni/SBA15-P123 (1/X) catalysts were prepared via a simple and novel P123 (PEG-PPG-PEG triblock copolymer)-assisted wet impregnation method, in which 1/X indicates the molar ratio of P123 to Ni. Various techniques including N-2 physisorption, ICP, XRD, TEM, XPS, TGA-DSC and Raman were employed to characterize the physicochemical properties of the catalysts. The catalytic performances of Ni/SBA15-P123 (1/X) catalysts in carbon dioxide reforming of methane to syngas were evaluated with a vertical fixed-bed quartz tube reactor. XRD and TEM characterization results of as-prepared samples revealed that the Ni dispersions of Ni/SBA15-P123 (1/X) catalysts were dramatically improved with n(P123)/n(Ni) ratios in the range of 1/500- 1/50. Significant improvement of the catalytic performances for the above optimum catalysts can be clearly explicated by comparing with those catalysts prepared with no P123, insufficient P123 (1/X = 1/750) or superabundant P123 (1/X = 1/5). That is, Ni/SBA15-P123 (1/500), Ni/SBA15-P123 (1/100) and Ni/SBA15-P123 (1/50) catalysts exhibited better stability, higher activity and less carbon deposition during the 50 h CRM reaction. Copyright (c) 2015, Hydrogen Energy Publications, LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.