Sol-gel synthesis and catalytic performance of Ni-Co/Al₂O₃-MgO-ZrO₂ nanocatalyst with different ZrO₂-loadings used in CH₄/CO₂ reforming for hydrogen production
by Seyed Mehdi Sajjadi; Mohammad Haghighi; Farhad Rahmani
International Journal of Oil, Gas and Coal Technology (IJOGCT), Vol. 8, No. 3, 2014

Abstract: A series of Ni-Co/Al₂O₃-MgO-ZrO₂ nanocatalysts with various ZrO₂ loadings were prepared via sol-gel method and used in CH₄/CO₂ reforming. The nanocatalysts were characterised using XRD, FESEM, FTIR and BET analysis. The XRD patterns represented that by adding ZrO₂ to Ni-Co/Al₂O₃-MgO, the crystallinity declined and amorphous behaviour became intensified. According to the FESEM images, addition of 5 wt% zirconia led to smaller particles size and improved particles size distribution. The texture of the catalyst or BET surface area was affected by adding zirconia, which is caused by covering of support pores by ZrO₂ and formation of ZrO₂-Al₂O₃ solid solution. All of the nanocatalysts exhibited acceptable catalytic performance and remarkably, deactivation was not observed throughout the 1,440 min and at 850°C. Among the prepared nanocatalysts, the sample which contained 5 wt% ZrO₂ exhibited the best catalytic performance since it possesses higher reactants conversion and superior products yield and production of synthesis gas with ratio close to unity throughout the 1,440 min and at 850°C. Generally, based on the superior properties evidenced by characterisations techniques and improved catalytic performance of nanocatalyst with lower zirconia content, 5 wt% ZrO₂ was the optimal amount of stabilising the Ni-Co/Al₂O₃-MgO for CH₄/CO₂ reforming. [Received: May 4, 2013; Accepted: November 1, 2013]

Online publication date: Sat, 29-Nov-2014

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