The performance of catalysts used for the dry reforming of methane can strongly depend on the selection of active metals, supports and promoters. This work studies their effects on the activity and stability of selected catalysts. Designing an economically viable catalyst that maintains high catalytic activity and stability can be achieved by exploiting the synergic effects of combining noble and/or non-noble metals to form highly active and stable bi- and tri-metallic catalysts. Perovskite type catalysts can also constitute a potent and cost effective substituent. Metal oxide supports with surface Lewis base sites are able to reduce carbon formation and yield a greater stability to the catalyst, while noble metal promoters have proven to increase both catalyst activity and stability. Moreover, a successful metal-support-promoter combination should lead to higher metal-support interacrtion, lower reduction temperature and enhancement of the anti-coking and anti-amalgamation properties of the catalyst. However, the effect of each parameter on the overall performance of the catalyst is usually complex, and the catalyst designer is often faced with a tradeoff between activity, stability and ease of activation. Based on the review carried out on various studies, it is concluded that a catalyst design must take into consideration not only the separate effects of the active metal, support and promoter, but should also include the combined and mutual interactions of these components.

Catalyst design for dry reforming of methane: Analysis review

A review of CH4CO2 reforming to synthesis gas over Ni-based catalysts in recent years (2010–2017)

Contemporary trends in composite Ni-based catalysts for CO2 reforming of methane

Sequential impregnation vs. sol-gel synthesized Ni/Al2O3-CeO2 nanocatalyst for dry reforming of methane: Effect of synthesis method and support promotion

Two major green house gases (CO2 and CH4) can be converted into useful synthetic gas (H2 and CO) during dry reforming of methane (DRM) reaction, and a lot of scientific efforts has been made to develop efficient catalysts for dry reforming of methane (DRM). Noble metal-based catalysts can effectively assist DRM reaction, however they are not economically viable. Alternatively, non-noble based catalysts have been studied so far, and supported Ni catalysts have been considered as a promising candidate for DRM catalyst. Main drawback of Ni catalysts is its catalytic instability under operating conditions of DRM (>700 °C). Recently, it has been demonstrated that the appropriate choice of metal-oxide supports can address this issue since the chemical and physical of metal-oxide supports can prevent coke formation and stabilize the small Ni nanoparticles under harsh conditions of DRM operation. This mini-review covers the recent scientific findings on the development of supported Ni catalysts for DRM reaction, including the synthetic methods of supported Ni nanoparticles with high sintering resistance.

Guo-fu Xia

Papers

Effect of support on the performance of Ni-based catalyst in methane dry reforming