Tailoring the yttrium content in Ni-Ce-Y/SBA-15 mesoporous silicas for CO2 methanation

A series of nickel-cerium-promoted mesoporous silica (SBA-15) catalysts modified with different loadings yttrium were synthesized by cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB)-assisted impregnation. The tested in CO2 methanation reaction and characterized N2 sorption, X-ray fluorescence (XRF), small-angle scattering (SAXS) wide-angle diffraction (XRD), H2 chemisorption, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), temperature-programmed reduction (H2-TPR), desorption (CO2-TPD), thermogravimetric analysis coupled mass spectrometry (TGA-MS). best catalytic performance was found for Y-modified NiCe/SBA-15 compared to the unpromoted sample. modification 10 wt% gave highest conversion 61% ± 2% at 350 °C. We attribute this increase an improved dispersion Ni, increased reducibility Ni species, higher ratio Ce3+/(Ce3+ + Ce4+), moderate basicity 15Ni10Ce10Y/SBA-15. This paper shows that Y loading not only improves activity methanation, but also gives stable performance. 15Ni10Ce10Y/SBA-15 catalyst did exhibit loss during 26 h time-on-stream (TOS) experiment Moreover, carbon deposits sintered nickel particles could hardly be used 7 h.