Template in situ inducing dispersion of nickel on SBA-15 for methane reforming with carbon dioxide

Highly dispersed Ni/SBA-15 catalysts were prepared via template extraction with varying different extraction times (Ni/S-x, x = 0.5, 3.5, 6.5 h) for methane reforming with carbon dioxide. Based on the various characterization results and initial activity evaluation, Ni/S-3.5 h catalyst showed the best catalytic performance. Compared with the catalyst prepared via template calcination (Ni-S), Ni/S-3.5 h catalyst held steady with CH4 and CO2 conversions while those of the Ni-S catalyst respectively decreased by 15 and 11% during the long-term stability test at 700 °C for 50 h. As TEM and TG–DSC results confirmed, Ni particles in spent Ni/S-3.5 h catalyst stayed well-dispersed with size slightly increasing from an initial 3.9–4.1 nm and nearly no carbon deposition was observed. On the contrary, Ni-S catalyst was subjected to sintered metal particles (increased from 11.6 to 18 nm) and formed carbon fibers. The prominent resistance to sintering and coking over stable Ni/S-3.5 h catalyst was attributed to the high dispersion and strengthened metal-support interaction induced via the residual in situ templates.