Promotional effects of B-terminated defective edges of Ni/boron nitride catalysts for coking- and sintering-resistant dry reforming of methane

•Ni catalysts were confined in defects in boron nitride.•Superior stability and Ni sintering resistance were demonstrated for DRM.•The strong metal-support interaction effect was demonstrated.•The defect sites of BN play a key role in adsorption and activation of reaction gases.•The existence of B-terminal sites was directly used as active sites.