Meso-porous Ni/Mg/Al catalysts for methane reforming with CO2 Original Research Article

A series of Ni/Mg/Al catalysts were prepared by coprecipitation method and used in methane reforming with CO2. It was found that these catalysts possessed a meso-porous structure and wide surface area. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis indicated that Ni existed mainly in NiAl2O4 and/or Ni-Mg-O solid solution in Ni/Mg/Al. The higher surface area of the catalysts allowed the stronger interaction between Ni and Al-Mg, which improved the dispersion of Ni, and retarded the sintering of Ni during the reforming process. And then the highly dispersed Ni increased the adsorption of CO2, exhibiting a higher reforming activity, lower coke formation and a higher stability. The activation processes of CO2 and CH4 on Ni/Mg/Al catalysts were investigated by CO2 temperature-programmed desorption (CO2-TPD) and coke reaction via CH4 temperature-programmed decomposition.