Reforming of Methane with Carbon Dioxide over a Catalyst Consisting of Ruthenium Metal and Cerium Oxide Supported on Mordenite

Reforming of CH4 with CO2 proceeds at 400 °C over a catalyst consisting of ruthenium metal and CeO2 highly dispersed on mordenite. The catalyst, Ru-CeO2/MZ, is highly active for the reforming of CH4 under the conditions at which a carbon formation reaction is thermodynamically apt to take place. The reforming selectively forms H2 and CO. An increase in the weight of the catalyst resulting from carbon deposits was scarcely observed. IR spectra for the catalyst indicate that the reforming proceeds via the formation of the intermediate species such as Ru-CO and Ru-CHx on the surface of ruthenium. The data of H2 adsorption support the idea that ruthenium is highly dispersed in Ru-CeO2/MZ.