Monolithic SiC-foam supported Ni-La2O3 composites for dry reforming of methane with enhanced carbon resistance

Abstract A monolithic silicon carbide foam (SiC-foam) structured nickel and lanthanum oxide (Ni-La2O3) nanocomposite catalyst is developed via reducing the nickel oxide and lanthanum oxide (NiO-La2O3) precursor that can be grown onto SiC-foam surface by depositing the needed citric acid gel followed by calcination at 750 °C. By taking the advantages of homogeneous component-distribution and strong Ni-La2O3 interactions in the Ni-La2O3 nanocomposites, this catalyst delivers much enhanced coke-depositing/Ni-sintering resistance than the unmodified counterpart of Ni-La2O3/alumina (Al2O3) in the titled reaction. At 850 °C, a weight hourly space velocity (WSHV) is set as 24,000 mLCH4-CO2 gCat−1 h−1, methane/carbon dioxide (CH4/CO2) conversions of 71/85% are initially achieved on the Ni-La2O3/SiC-foam catalyst followed by progressively decreased to 60/72% within 50 h (h), but remain almost unchanged for the next 50 h. On the contrary, the CH4/CO2 conversions on the Ni-La2O3/Al2O3 catalyst rapidly drop from 49/71% to 24/40% within only 25 h due to its serious Ni-sintering and coke deposition.