Insight into the role of lanthanide metal oxides on the carbon deposition resistance of Ni/MSS catalysts for dry reforming of methane

Dry reforming of methane (DRM) can well convert CO2 and CH4 into syngas to further synthesize valuable chemicals, thereby realizing the resource utilization of greenhouse gases. However, the sintering and carbon deposition vulnerabilities of Ni-based dry reforming catalysts prevent them from being commercialized. The ethylene glycol impregnation method was used in this study to create a group of Ni/MSS catalysts added with lanthanide metal oxides (CeO2、La2O3、Sm2O3、Nd2O3). A range of characterization techniques were employed to examine the impact on the resistance to carbon deposition and sintering. Studies have shown that lanthanide metal oxides enhance the metal support interaction, promote active metal Ni dispersion and reduce Ni particle size. Meanwhile, the catalyst's alkali strength and basic site count both rise, and a large number of surface oxygen vacancies are produced, among which CeO2 has the most obvious effect. As a result, the catalyst's activity and resistance to carbon deposition and sintering are greatly increased, while also inhibiting the degree of graphitization of carbon deposition. According to the kinetic studies, the catalyst containing lanthanide metal oxides had an apparent activation energy for CH4 and CO2 that was lower than the Ni/MSS catalyst.