The Relationship between Reaction Temperature and Carbon Deposition on Nickel Catalysts Based on Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>, ZrO<sub>2</sub> or SiO<sub>2</sub> Supports during the Biogas Dry Reforming Reaction
Nikolaos D. Charisiou,
Savvas L. Douvartzides,
Georgios I. Siakavelas,
Lazaros Tzounis,
Victor Sebastian,
Vlad Stolojan,
Steven J. Hinder,
Mark A. Baker,
Kyriaki Polychronopoulou,
Maria A. Goula
Affiliations
Nikolaos D. Charisiou
Laboratory of Alternative Fuels and Environmental Catalysis (LAFEC), Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Western Macedonia, GR-50100 Kozani, Greece
Savvas L. Douvartzides
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Western Macedonia, GR-50100 Kozani, Greece
Georgios I. Siakavelas
Laboratory of Alternative Fuels and Environmental Catalysis (LAFEC), Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Western Macedonia, GR-50100 Kozani, Greece
Lazaros Tzounis
Composite and Smart Materials Laboratory (CSML), Department of Materials Science & Engineering, University of Ioannina, GR-45110 Ioannina, Greece
Victor Sebastian
Chemical and Environmental Engineering Department, Instituto de Nanociencia de Aragón (INA) and Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Aragón (ICMA), Universidad de Zaragoza-CSIC, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain
Vlad Stolojan
Advanced Technology Institute, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 4DL , UK
Steven J. Hinder
The Surface Analysis Laboratory, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 4DL, UK
Mark A. Baker
The Surface Analysis Laboratory, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 4DL, UK
Kyriaki Polychronopoulou
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi P.O. Box 127788, UAE
Maria A. Goula
Laboratory of Alternative Fuels and Environmental Catalysis (LAFEC), Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Western Macedonia, GR-50100 Kozani, Greece
The tackling of carbon deposition during the dry reforming of biogas (BDR) necessitates research of the surface of spent catalysts in an effort to obtain a better understanding of the effect that different carbon allotropes have on the deactivation mechanism and correlation of their formation with catalytic properties. The work presented herein provides a comparative assessment of catalytic stability in relation to carbon deposition and metal particle sintering on un-promoted Ni/Al2O3, Ni/ZrO2 and Ni/SiO2 catalysts for different reaction temperatures. The spent catalysts were examined using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Raman spectroscopy, high angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM-HAADF) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results show that the formation and nature of carbonaceous deposits on catalytic surfaces (and thus catalytic stability) depend on the interplay of a number of crucial parameters such as metal support interaction, acidity/basicity characteristics, O2− lability and active phase particle size. When a catalytic system possesses only some of these beneficial characteristics, then competition with adverse effects may overshadow any potential benefits.
