Ce promoting effect on the activity and coke formation of Ni catalysts supported on mesoporous nanocrystalline γ-Al2O3 in autothermal reforming of methane.

In this study methane autothermal reforming (ATR) was investigated over Ni/Al 2 O 3 and Ni/Al 2 O 3 –CeO 2 catalysts. The catalyst carriers were prepared through a facile one-step method, which produced mesoporous nanocrystalline carriers for Ni catalysts. The samples were characterized by XRD, TPR, BET, TPO and SEM characterization techniques and the catalytic activity and stability were also studied at different conditions (GHSV and feed ratio) in methane ATR. It was found that the nickel catalyst supported on 3 wt.% Ce–Al 2 O 3 exhibited higher activity compared to the catalysts supported on the Al 2 O 3 and promoted Al 2 O 3 with 1 and 6 wt.% Ce. The results also showed that the nickel catalyst supported on 3 wt.% Ce–Al 2 O 3 possessed the highest resistance against carbon deposition in ATR reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]