Evaluation of Nickel-Diatomite Catalyst Promoted with Boron and Cerium in the Dry Reforming of Methane Reaction.
Dry Reforming of Methane; Hydrogen; Catalytic Promoter; Diatomite; Cerium; Boron
Greenhouse gases, particularly methane and carbon dioxide, represent a serious environmental concern. Dry Reforming of Methane (DRM) is a technology that can mitigate these impacts by converting these gases into synthesis gas (CO and H₂), which is useful in the production of methanol, ammonia, and Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. The choice of catalytic support, active phase, and promoters is crucial for the efficiency and stability of the catalysts. Nickel catalysts are commonly used due to their low cost, despite being susceptible to coke formation, necessitating improvements in the formulation. Diatomite, a form of natural silica, emerges as an efficient support due to its textural properties and thermal stability. Promoters such as cerium (Ce) and boron (B) have been tested to improve the stability and activity of the catalysts. Ce facilitates carbon removal and improves nickel distribution, while B enhances resistance and reduces coke formation. Catalysts were synthesized with diatomite as support, Ni as the active phase, and Ce and B promoters in different concentrations. The synthesized materials were characterized by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Nitrogen Physisorption and Temperature Programmed Reduction (TPR). The performance in DRM was evaluated in terms of CH₄ and CO₂ conversion, H₂ and CO yield, and the H₂/CO ratio. In stability and activity tests, the post-test catalysts were characterized by XRD and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) for coke formation assessment. XRD results demonstrate that the impregnation of the materials resulted in the formation of the active Nickel phase. TPR showed that the catalysts containing Boron increase the reduction temperature of the catalyst, hindering the activation process, while those promoted by Cerium maintain behavior similar to the Ni-Diatomite catalyst. Regarding DRM performance, catalysts promoted with 2% of each promoter showed significant improvements in stability after 15 hours of testing. In terms of activity, Boron promotion decreased activity by increasing the activation energy of methane dehydrogenation on the metallic Ni surface, whereas Cerium promotion improved activity. TGA results show that the promoted catalysts reduce the amount of formed coke, with Boron-promoted materials exhibiting 17% and 24% less coke compared to Ni-Diatomite. The results indicate that the combination of diatomite, Ni, and Ce and B promoters can create promising materials for DRM catalysis.