The correlation between phase structures and surface acidity of Al2O3 supports calcined at different temperatures and the catalytic performance of Ni/Al2O3 catalysts in the production of synthetic natural gas(SNG) via CO methanation was systematically investigated. A series of 10 wt% NiO/Al2O3 catalysts were prepared by the conventional impregnation method, and the phase structures and surface acidity of Al2O3 supports were adjusted by calcining the commercial γ-Al2O3 at different temperatures(600–1200 C). CO methanation reaction was carried out in the temperature range of 300–600 C at different weight hourly space velocities(WHSV = 30000 and 120000 mL·g-1h-1) and pressures(0.1 and 3.0 MPa). It was found that high calcination temperature not only led to the growth in Ni particle size, but also weakened the interaction between Ni nanoparticles and Al2O3 supports due to the rapid decrease of the specific surface area and acidity of Al2O3 supports. Interestingly, Ni catalysts supported on Al2O3 calcined at 1200 C(Ni/Al2O3-1200) exhibited the best catalytic activity for CO methanation under different reaction conditions. Lifetime reaction tests also indicated that Ni/Al2O3-1200 was the most active and stable catalyst compared with the other three catalysts, whose supports were calcined at lower temperatures(600, 800 and 1000 C). These findings would therefore be helpful to develop Ni/Al2O3 methanation catalyst for SNG production.
Jiajian GaoChunmiao JiaJing LiMeiju ZhangFangna GuGuangwen XuZiyi ZhongFabing Su
Highly coke-resisting ZrO2-decorated Ni/A1203 catalysts for CO methanation were prepared by a two-step process. The support was first loaded with NiO by impregnating method and then modified with ZrO2 by deposition-precipitation method （IM-DP）. Nitrogen adsorption- desorption, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, thermogravimetdc analysis, H2 temperature- programmed reduction and desorption, NH3 temperature-programmed desorption, and zeta potential analysis were employed to characterize the samples. The results revealed that, compared with the catalysts with the same composition prepared by co-impregnation （CI） and sequential impregnation （SI） methods, the Ni/A1203 catalyst prepared by IM-DP showed much enhanced catalytic performance for syngas methanation under the condition of atmospheric pressure and a high weight hourly space velocity of 120000 mL.g-1 .h-1. In a 80 h life time test under the condition of 300-600 ~C and 3.0 MPa, this catalyst showed high stability and resistance to coking, and the amount of deposited carbon was only 0.4 wt%. On the contrary, the deposited carbon over the catalyst without ZrO2 reached 1.5 wt% after a 60 h life time test. The improved catalytic performance was attributed to the selective deposition of ZrO2 nanoparticles on the surface of NiO rather than A1203, which could he well controlled via changing the electrostatic interaction in the DP procedure. This unique structure could enhance the dissociation of CO2 and generate surface oxygen intermediates, thus preventing carbon deposition on the Ni particles in syngas methanation.
Qing LiuFangna GuJiajian GaoHuifang LiGuangwen XuFabing Su
