Abstract
A multi-layered nanostructured Ni/CeO2 catalyst was synthesized through a facile one-pot hydrothermal reaction. The influence of catalyst pre-treatment was investigated as an efficient and easy strategy to improve its catalytic activity. The catalyst exhibited stable above 90% CO2 and 85% CH4 reactant conversions and high product H2/CO ratio (close to 0.95) for DRM at 700 °C for 24 h, with a two-step pre-treatment of the catalyst (H2 reduction followed by CO2 oxidation). This can be ascribed to the multi-layered structure of CeO2 support, enhancing of exposed metal-support interface between Ni and the CeO2 and formation of carbon and oxygen species on the catalyst surface, as indicated by characterizations of H2-TPR, XPS, XRD, FTIR and HAADF-STEM. The simple synthesis and pre-treatment method of such Ni/CeO2 catalyst with high DRM performance offers new opportunities for CeO2 application into DRM reaction as a promising support material.
NSTL