Hydrogen production by biogas reforming using Ni/MgO-Al2O3 catalysts

• Published in: Fuel (Guildford) Vol. 368; p. 131561
• Main Authors: Corrente, Matheus V., Manfro, Robinson L., Souza, Mariana M.V.M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 15-07-2024
• Subjects: Biogas; Catalysts; Hydrogen; MgO; Nickel; Reforming; Biogas; Reforming; Nickel; Catalysts; MgO; Hydrogen
• ISSN: 0016-2361; 1873-7153
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fuel.2024.131561

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•Ni/MgO-Al2O3 catalysts prepared by wet impregnation, coprecipitation, and citrate.•Impregnated catalyst exhibited the highest Ni dispersion and basicity.•High stability during 100 h of biogas reforming (CO2/CH4 = 1) at 700 °C.•For Ni/Al2O3 catalyst, the reactor was completely blocked after 30 h on stream.•Coke was mainly graphitic/filamentous for all catalysts.
Hydrogen has been pointed out as a highly potential energy source for the future due to its flexibility in production and utilization. In order to obtain hydrogen sustainably, technologies that use renewable raw materials must be developed. In this context, this work proposes hydrogen production from biogas reforming. Ni/MgO-Al2O3 catalysts, containing 20 wt% of NiO and 10 wt% of MgO, were prepared by three methodologies (wet impregnation, coprecipitation, and citrate) and compared with Ni/Al2O3. The catalyst prepared by impregnation exhibited the highest Ni dispersion and basicity, with the highest activity in methane reforming with CO2 (CO2/CH4 = 1) at temperatures between 600 and 800 °C. This catalyst presented high stability during 100 h of reaction at 700 °C (92 % of CH4 conversion and 95 % of CO2 conversion), with a lower coking rate than Ni/Al2O3. Coke was predominantly graphitic for all catalysts, but the catalyst prepared by coprecipitation showed a higher proportion of amorphous coke and the lowest coking rate.