The Impact of La Doping on Dry Reforming Ni-Based Catalysts Loaded on FSP-Alumina

Anisole hydrodeoxygenation over Ni–Co bimetallic catalyst: a combination of experimental, kinetic and DFT study†

Catalytic hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of anisole was performed with a series of Ni and Co containing catalysts with different weight ratios on activated carbon (AC) for cyclohexanol production. The catalytic activities of various catalysts revealed that Ni₅Co₅-AC was the best catalytic system. Structural analysis obtained from XRD, TPR, XPS, and TEM evidently demonstrates that Ni₅Co₅-AC sample consists of a distorted metal alloy spinel structure and optimum particle size, enhancing its catalytic performance. Kinetics were investigated to identify cyclohexanol production rate, activation energy, and reaction pathway. Structural, experimental, kinetics and density functional simulations suggested that high amount of distorted metallic alloy in Ni₅Co₅-AC, presence of water, high adsorption efficiency of anisole, and low adsorption tendency of cyclohexanol on metallic alloy surface were the critical factors for HDO of anisole to cyclohexanol.

High reducible distorted bimetallic sites with medium size in Ni₅Co₅-AC promoted the production of cyclohexanol by hydrogenation of anisole and subsequent cleavage of C₆H₁₁O–CH₃ bond.

Effect of Ca Promoter on the Structure, Performance, and Carbon Deposition of Ni-Al2O3 Catalyst for CO2-CH4 Reforming

Ni-Al₂O₃ catalyst with different Ca abundance for CO₂-CH₄ reforming was prepared by the solution combustion method. By some mature characterization methods, such as XRD, H₂-TPR, EDX mapping, TEM, TPH and TG-DTG technologies, and the reforming experiment, the effect of Ca content on the structure, reforming performance, and carbon deposition of Ni-Al₂O₃ catalyst was investigated. Results showed that the grain size of active component Ni on the 4 wt % Ca-modified catalyst (Ni-Ca-4) was small (13.67 nm), presenting good dispersion, and that Ni and Ca elements were well distributed on the support, which was more conducive to the CO₂-CH₄ reforming. Evaluation results showed that activity of Ni-Ca-4 was higher than the others, with CH₄ and CO₂ conversions of 52.0 and 96.7%, respectively, and H₂/CO ratio close to unit. Carbon deposition proposed that the amount of carbon deposited on the surface of Ni-Ca-4 was lower (18%), and the type of carbon was attributed to amorphous carbon, indicating that 4 wt % Ca-promoted catalyst presented better anticarbon deposition performance.

Plasma-chemical promotion of catalysis for CH4 dry reforming: unveiling plasma-enabled reaction mechanisms

A kinetic study revealed that a Ni/Al2O3 catalyst exhibited a drastic increase in CH4 and CO2 conversion under nonthermal plasma when lanthanum was added to the Ni/Al2O3 catalyst as a promoter. For a better fundamental understanding of the plasma and catalyst interfacial phenomena, we employed in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) under plasma-on conditions to elucidate the nonthermal plasma-enabled reaction enhancement mechanisms. Compared with thermal catalysis, plasma-activated CO2 shows a 1.7-fold enhancement for bidentate (1560 and 1290 cm-1) and monodentate carbonate (1425 and 1345 cm-1) formation on La. Moreover, new peaks of bicarbonate (1655 cm-1) and bridge carbonate (1720 cm-1) were formed due to nonthermal plasma interactions. CO2-TPD study after thermal- and plasma-activated CO2 treatment further confirmed that plasma-activated CO2 enhances bidentate and monodentate carbonate generation with a 1.5-fold promotion at high temperature (500 °C). XRD and EDS analyses suggest that atomic-scale interaction between CO2-La and CHx-Ni is possible over the complex La-Ni-Al oxide; vibrationally excited CO2-induced carbonates provide the key to enhancing the overall performance of CH4 dry reforming at low temperature.

Ca-Doped CrOX/γ-Al2O3 Catalysts with Improved Dehydrogenation Performance for the Conversion of Isobutane to Isobutene

The dehydrogenation of low-carbon alkane to obtain olefins is an effective way to meet the steadily increasing demand of these building blocks in chemical industry. In this study, Ca-doped CrOx/γ-Al2O3 catalysts were fabricated via a one-pot method by employing Cr(OH)3 as the precursor, and their catalytic performances were tested in the dehydrogenation of isobutane to isobutene (DITI) process. The prepared catalysts were intensively characterized by XRD, SEM, NH3-TPD, H2-TPR, low-temperature N2 adsorption–desorption, etc. These characterization results indicated that the doping of Ca into the CrOx/γ-Al2O3 catalysts could tune the acidity properties of the prepared catalysts and enhance the interaction between the active species and support. The Ca-doped CrOx/γ-Al2O3 catalysts, especially the Ca2-Cr/γ-Al2O3 catalyst with a Ca doping of 2 wt%, exhibited a superior catalytic performance in the DITI process in comparison with the undoped catalyst.

Unifying double flame spray pyrolysis with lanthanum doping to restrict cobalt–aluminate formation in Co/Al2O3 catalysts for the dry reforming of methane

Atomic-sized lanthanum doping via double flame spray pyrolysis leads to remarkable dry reforming of methane performance.