A novel catalyst with plate-type anodic alumina supports, Ni/NiAl2O4/γ-Al2O3/alloy, for steam reforming of methane Original Research Article

A series of plate-type metal-monolithic anodic alumina supported nickel catalysts were employed to investigate their reactivity in the steam reforming of methane reactions. After H2 reduction, a fresh 4.7 wt% Ni/γ-Al2O3/alloy catalyst provided only a short-term activity, and then deactivated quickly. By the temperature programmed reaction technologies, the oxidation of surface sintered metallic Ni particles in the SRM test was suggested to be the main reason for the catalyst deactivation. As a result, a 17.9 wt% Ni/NiAl2O4/γ-Al2O3/alloy catalyst with an interfacial NiAl2O4 layer was synthesized, which showed excellent SRM reactivity at 700 °C and this was believed to be resulted from the existence of interfacial NiAl2O4 layer which anchored the top metallic nickel particles and effectively suppressed catalyst sintering. Moreover, no unfavorable effect was evidenced over the SRM reactivity of anodic Ni catalysts when applying the electrically heated pattern. Nevertheless, for the industrialization of anodic nickel catalysts, some efforts should be made to alleviate the deterioration of anodic supports and the catalysts sintering under the SRM reactions.