Ni-catalysts supported on ZnxMg1-xAl2O4 for ethanol steam reforming: influence of the substitution for Mg on catalytic activity and stability

BARROSO MARIANA N.; GALETTI AGUSTIN E.; GOMEZ MANUEL F.; ARRUA LUIS A.; ABELLO MARIA CRISTINA

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL

ELSEVIER SCIENCE SA

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2013 vol. 222 p. 142 - 149

1385-8947

Ni catalysts supported on ZnxMg1-xAl2O4 spinel oxide have been prepared by the wet impregnation method with 8 wt % Ni. The samples were characterized by XRD, BET area, TPR, CO2-TPD, SEM-EDX and TPO and tested in the ethanol steam reforming reaction. The XRD patterns of Ni supported on ZnxMg1-xAl2O4 with x= 1 or 0.5 revealed a highly crystalline spinel phase (ZnAl2O4 type) and NiO particles of different sizes. MgAl2O4 with a poorer crystallinity and NiO were observed for the catalyst supported with x= 0. The presence of Mg into the support composition decreased the Ni2+ reducibility and increased the basicity and the specific surface area, allowing a high dispersion of metallic particles and an improved resistance to carbon deposition in ethanol steam reforming reaction. Under the experimental conditions used in this work, Ni/MgAl2O4 was the most active catalyst but showed deactivation by graphitic carbon deposition.