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Oxidative dry reforming of methane over a nickel–alumina catalyst for carbon free operation

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Abstract

A nickel–alumina catalyst, possessing strong metal-support interaction, showed significant CH4 and CO2 conversions at 600 °C and 750 °C for the dry reforming of methane (DRM). However, about 33% carbon-whiskers (at 600 °C) and less than 1% carbon (at 750 °C) was deposited after 4 h of DRM. Adding up to 7.5 V% O2 during the partial oxidation of methane (POM), and during the oxidative dry reforming of methane (ODRM), increased the CH4 conversion. At least 7.5% O2 was required for “carbon-free” ODRM operation (carbon < 1%) even at a reaction temperature of 600 °C. Furthermore, the CH4 conversion increased from 44 to 52% at 600 °C, and from 85 to 88% at 750 °C. A H2/CO ratio of 0.82 (at 600 °C) and 0.72 (at 750 °C) was also achieved. Increasing the O2 amount also decreased the net CO2 conversion and both carbon-types in the spent catalyst. Unexpectedly, the fraction of metallic nickel sites decreased in the spent catalyst after ODRM though the conversions increased. Thus, syngas is produced with insignificant amounts of carbon at 600 °C and 750 °C by DRM using small amounts of oxygen.

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All data generated or analysed during this study are included in this published article [and its supplementary information file].

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  1. Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur, 208016, India

    Puneet Kumar Chaudhary & Goutam Deo

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  1. Puneet Kumar Chaudhary
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  2. Goutam Deo
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Both the authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection and analysis were performed by PKC. The first draft of the manuscript was written by PKC and both the authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. Both the authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Goutam Deo.

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Chaudhary, P.K., Deo, G. Oxidative dry reforming of methane over a nickel–alumina catalyst for carbon free operation. Reac Kinet Mech Cat 133, 779–800 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11144-021-02043-3

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