Partial oxidation of methane and ethane to synthesis gas over a LiLaNiO/γ–Al2O3 catalyst Original Research Article

Partial oxidation of methane and ethane to synthesis gas over a LiLaNiO/γ–Al2O3 catalyst was investigated with a flow reactor, AAS, XPS, and XRD. Excellent reaction performance for CH4–C2H6–O2 to synthesis gas over the LiLaNiO/γ-Al2O3 is achieved at 1073 K, obtaining CO selectivity of 90–95% and CH4 conversion of ∼97%, with a wide range of C2H6 content in the feed and of space velocity. Meanwhile, 100, 200 and 500 h life tests of the LiLaNiO/γ-Al2O3 for natural gas–O2 to synthesis gas were also performed. The results indicate that the LiLaNiO/γ-Al2O3 catalyst not only possesses excellent reaction performance (CH4 conversion ∼95%, CO selectivity ∼98%), good carbon deposition resistance, but also has a relatively stable element component and a stable crystal phase structure during a 500 h life test experiment under conditions of 1123 K, natural gas/O2 ratio of 1.90 and space velocity of 2.7×105 l/(kg h).