Syngas production employing nickel on alumina-magnesia supported catalyst via dry methane reforming

Nickel supported on alumina-magnesia bimetallic oxide support (Ni/Al₂O₃-MgO) nano-catalysts were prepared by the co-precipitation followed by impregnation (two steps) method separately and tested for the dry methane reforming. The optimum bimetallic oxide catalyst support ratio (i. e., alumina: magnesia) is tested and it has been found that alumina:magnesia ratio of 1 : 2 showed the most stable results. The effect of nickel loading has been studied by impregnating the bimetallic oxide support with nickel as 10 wt.%, 12 wt.%, 14 wt.%, and 16 wt.%. It has been found that the catalyst containing 12 wt.% nickel showed the best activity in terms of methane (CH₄) and carbon dioxide (CO₂) percentage conversions, syngas (H₂:CO) ratio, lowest coke formation and stability for dry methane reforming at 800 °C, 1 atm and methane: carbon dioxide ratio of unity. The Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area and pore size analysis of fresh catalyst has been carried out. The x-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive x-ray and elemental mapping analysis for fresh and spent catalysts has been obtained confirming the coke formation during the reaction.