Gasification of biomass offers the potential to produce syngas from a renewable resource. However, biomass-derived syngas contains significant quantities of methane and tars, which need to be reformed to increase the efficiency of the process and to avoid fouling of downstream equipment. Nickel and cobalt catalysts supported on ?-Al2O3 have been shown to be active for the desired reforming reactions. In most reforming studies, impregnation methods are the primary synthesis technique. However, impregnation methods often lead to poor dispersion and catalysts that a prone to sintering and coking under typical reforming conditions. To prepare reproducible and stable catalysts, we utilized controlled adsorption of ionic metal precursors on the support. In this approach, the pH of the synthesis mixture is continually adjusted to control the surface charges on the support. The metal precursors are electrostatically adsorbed on charged sites on the surface. Point of zero charge (PZC) measurements, pH-precipitation studies, and adsorption isotherms were obtained to identify the ideal pH range. Physicochemical characterization of the catalysts showed that controlled adsorption results in enhanced metal-support interactions and smaller metal particles compared to catalysts synthesized by impregnation. Reactivity studies for dry reforming of methane illustrated that these properties are responsible for increased conversion and longevity of the catalysts.

Using controlled adsorption to prepare improved supported metal catalysts for dry reforming of methane

248th National Meeting (2014)

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