Investigation of production of hydrogen by carbon dioxide reforming of methane over MCM-41 supported catalysts

Production of synthesis gas by CO2 reforming of methane is an important reaction because of converting CO2 and CH4 into a useful chemical product. In this study, activities of high surface area, nickel and nickel-rhodium incorporated MCM-41 like mesoporous catalysts in dry reforming of methane were investigated. In the first part of the study, Ni-MCM-41 catalysts with different Ni/Si ratio were synthesized by direct hydrothermal synthesis. Rh was incorporated to Ni-MCM-41-I by impregnation method. Before the dry reforming of methane, the catalysts were reduced by hydrogen. Physical and structural properties of catalysts were investigated by XRD, BET surface area, EDS and SEM analysis after calcination, the last step of hydrothermal synthesis, and after reduction. Fixed-bed reactor system was set up for dry reforming methane. Reaction products were analyzed by online gas chromatography. Catalytic activity data for the catalysts in dry reforming of methane were evaluated in terms of methane and CO2 conversion, selectivity and yield of hydrogen and CO. Over Ni-MCM-41(0,2)-TB catalyst, higher CO2 conversion (0.41) than the initial methane conversion (0.31) and higher CO yield (0.72) than H2 yield (0.50) were considered to be due to the occurrence of reverse water gas shift reaction. Long time activity and stability test of Ni-MCM-41(0,2)-TB catalyst was carried out for 25 hours. At the end of 25th hour the catalyst didn?t lose its activity and methane conversion was found as 0.1. By the incorporation of Rh into Ni-MCM-41(0,2)-I catalyst, the activity of catalyst was increased.