Abstract
The research aims to investigate the effect of ZrO2 promoter over 10wt.%Ni/Al2O3 catalyst for the dry methane reforming (DMR). The physicochemical properties and DMR performance of the catalysts prepared by impregnation and co-impregnation method with different ZrO2 loadings (0, 3, 5 and 7 wt.%) were investigated. The catalysts were characterized by XRD, SEM, H2-TPR and O2-TPO. The catalytic performance of catalysts in DMR was demonstrated in a tubular fixed-bed reactor at 620 degrees Celsius under atmospheric pressure for 12 h. It was found that ZrO2 promoter decreased the metal-support interaction resulting in the enhancement of the number of active site on the catalyst surface. Consequently, ZrO2 promoted the catalytic activity of Ni/Al2O3 catalyst. Although some Ni sites was covered by ZrO2 when the ZrO2 loading as high as 7 wt.%, these interface was indicated to prevent carbon deposition. It can be attributed to the effect of oxygen mobility as oxygen was conveyed from the CO2 dissociation on ZrO2 to carbon on the Ni sites.
