Significantly Improved Catalytic Performance of Ni-Based MgO Catalyst in Steam Reforming of Phenol by Inducing Mesostructure

A Ni/meso-MgO catalyst with high surface area and small Ni nanoparticles was synthesized and investigated for hydrogen production by steam reforming of phenol for the first time. Compared to conventional Ni/MgO, the Ni/meso-MgO catalyst showed higher catalytic activity and stability. X-ray Diffraction, N2 adsorption, hydrogen temperature programmed reduction, transmission electron microscopy and thermal gravimetry results indicated that the Ni/meso-MgO catalyst had higher surface area than Ni/MgO and Ni particles of Ni/meso-MgO were narrowly distributed in the range of 5~6 nm with an average size of 5.3 nm, while Ni particles of Ni/MgO were in the range of 6~10 nm with an average size of 7.92 nm. The small and uniform Ni nanoparticles in Ni/meso-MgO were attributed to the high surface area and the confinement effect of the mesoporous structure of meso-MgO, which could effectively limit the growth of the active metal and stabilize Ni particles during the procedure of NiO reduction. The mesoporous structure of Ni/meso-MgO also played an important role in suppressing Ni nanoparticle sintering and carbon deposition during the steam reforming of phenol reaction.