CeNiXAl0.5HZOY nano-oxyhydrides for H2 production by oxidative dry reforming of CH4 without carbon formation

ABSTRACT The oxidative dry reforming of CH4 (ODRM) was studied at 500-800 °C in harsh conditions (CH4/CO2/O2/N2  = 1:0.7:α:N2 with 20% of CH4, 96,000 mLh-1gcat-1 and α varying from 0 up to 0.5) on CeNiXAl0.5HZOY (0.5 ≤ x ≤ 5) nano-oxyhydride catalysts. At low temperature (500-600 °C), the conversion of CH4 reaches the thermodynamic limit while those of CO2 overcomes the predicted value in particular at 500 °C. At 600 °C with an O2/CH4 ratio of 0.3, the CeNi2Al0.5HZOY catalyst allows getting CH4 and CO2 conversions of about 63% and 50 %, respectively, and a H2/CO ratio of about 1.3, without carbon formation. The physico-chemical characterizations performed before and after test show the existence of strong interactions existing between Ni2+ cations with other cations and the presence of nano-oxyhydride compound. The mixed oxide based nano-materials corresponding to hydride reservoirs with the presence of Ni2+ cations are shown to be highly active, selective and stable catalysts.