ΔΗΜΟΣΙΕΥΣΗ - NANOMATERIALS

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Title: The effect of Ni addition onto a Cu-based ternary support on the H₂ production over glycerol steam reforming reaction [view paper]

 

Journal: Nanomaterials 8 (2018) article 931.

 

Authors:  Kyriaki Polychronopoulou ^1,2,*, Nikolaos D. Charisiou ³, Kyriakos N. Papageridis ³, Victor Sebastian ^4,5 , Steven J. Hinder ⁶, Aasif A. Dabbawala ⁷, Ayesha A. AlKhoori ¹, Mark A. Baker ⁶, and Maria A. Goula ^3,*

 

Affiliations:

¹   Department of Mechanical Engineering, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Main campus, Abu Dhabi, P.O. Box 127788, UAE;

²   Center for Catalysis and Separation, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, P.O. Box 127788, UAE;

³   Laboratory of Alternative Fuels and Environmental Catalysis (LAFEC), Department of Environmental and Pollution Control Engineering, Western Macedonia University of Applied Sciences, GR-50100, Greece;

⁴   Chemical and Environmental Engineering Department & Nanoscience Institute of Aragon (INA), University of Zaragoza, SP-50018, Zaragoza, Spain;

⁵   Networking Research Center on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine, CIBER-BBN, 28029-Madrid; 

⁶   The Surface Analysis Laboratory, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, GU2 4DL, UK;

⁷   Department of Chemical Engineering, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, SAN campus, P.O. Box 127788, UAE;

 

 

Abstract:

In the present study Ni/Ce-Sm-xCu (x=5, 7, 10 at.%) catalysts were prepared using microwave radiation coupled with sol-gel and followed by wetness impregnation method for the Ni incorporation. Highly dispersed nanocrystallites of CuO and NiO on the Ce-Sm-Cu support were found. Increase of Cu content seems to facilitate the reducibility of the catalyst according to the H₂-TPR. All the catalysts had a variety of weak, medium and strong acid/basic sites that regulate the reaction products. All the catalysts had very high X_C3H8O3 for the entire temperature (400-750^oC) range; from ≈84% at 400^oC to ≈94% at 750^oC. Ni/Ce-Sm-10Cu catalyst showed the lowest X_C3H8O3-gas implying the Cu content detrimental effect to performance, especially between 450-650^oC. In terms of H₂ selectivity (S_H2) and H₂ yield (Y_H2) both appeared to vary in the following order: Ni/Ce-Sm-10Cu > Ni/Ce-Sm-7Cu > Ni/Ce-Sm-5Cu, demonstrating the high impact of Cu content. Following stability tests, all the catalysts accumulated high amounts of carbon, following the order Ni/Ce-Sm-5Cu < Ni/Ce-Sm-7Cu < Ni/Ce-Sm-10Cu (52, 65 and 79 wt.%, respectively) based on the TGA studies. Raman studies showed that the incorporation of Cu in the support matrix controls the extent of carbon graphitization deposited during the reaction at hand.