Harnessing SiC nanoparticle-coated Ni-Al catalysts for more efficient Steam Methane Reforming

Autores

Palavras-chave:

Steam Methane Reforming (SMR), SiC nanoparticles, Catalyst stability, Hydrotalcite

Resumo

The development of stable and efficient catalysts for Steam Methane Reforming (SMR) remains a critical challenge due to catalyst deactivation caused by coke deposition and metal sintering. In this study, Ni-Al coated SiC nanoparticle catalysts (Ni-Al@SiC) were synthesized using a hydrotalcite precursor route, aiming to enhance thermal stability and catalytic performance. Structural and chemical characterization, including XRD, SEM-EDS, N₂ physisorption, and MAS NMR analyses, confirmed the successful embedding of SiC within the Ni-Al matrix. Catalytic evaluation demonstrated that Ni-Al@SiC catalysts exhibited superior Unlike conventional approaches, the incorporation of SiC nanoparticles (100 nm) within the catalyst matrix led to improved heat management and metal dispersion stability, showing no deactivation after 70 hours on stream. Furthermore, the Turnover Frequency (TOF) analysis indicated enhanced catalytic efficiency with reduced active phase requirements, attributed to SiC’s superior thermal conductivity and uniform heat distribution. Notably, the presence of SiC mitigated local hot spots, counteracting the endothermic nature of the SMR reaction. These findings highlight the potential of Ni-Al@SiC catalysts to improve SMR efficiency, offering promising avenues for future research and industrial application.

Biografia do Autor

  • João Monnerat Araujo Ribeiro de Almeida, UFRJ-LipCat

    Professor João Monnerat obtained his PhD in Chemical and Biochemical Process Engineering in 2017 from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro in collaboration with the University of Liverpool (UK). Since 2020, he has held the position of Adjunct Professor at the Institute of Chemistry at UFRJ, acting as coordinator of the LIPCAT research group. Currently, he also holds the position of Special Advisor for Innovation at PR2, helping UFRJ to connect and relate better with industry and society.

  • Weberton Reis do Carmo, UFRJ-LipCat

    PhD in Chemistry from the Federal University of Juiz de Fora. He worked as a substitute professor at the Federal Institute of Education, Science, and Technology of the Southeast of Minas Gerais, followed by a post-doctoral internship at the Heterogeneous Catalysis Laboratory (LABCATH-IQ/UFRJ) and at the Catalysis Center (NUCAT- COPPE/UFRJ). His interests lie in developing new catalysts with industrial applications and analyzing and interpreting data in continuous flow reactions. Currently, he holds a post-doctoral researcher position at the LIPCAT- UFRJ.

  • Pedro Nothaft Romano, UFRJ-LipCat

    Professor Pedro Romano is a permanent professor at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ). He completed his PhD in Chemical and Biochemical Process Engineering at the same university in 2017, having completed a sandwich period at the University of Liverpool (UK). During his doctoral period, he also worked as a visiting researcher at Universidade Nova de Lisboa (UNL). He is currently one of the coordinators of the Laboratory for Intensification of Processes and Catalysis (LIPCAT/UFRJ) and of the Multidisciplinary Center for Research in Nanotechnology (NUMPEX-NANO). He works with applied research in the areas of Catalysis, Biofuels, Green Chemistry, Conversion of Biomass and Offshore Natural Gas, in addition to the development of new organic processes.

Referências

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Publicado

03-11-2025

Edição

v. 1 n. 1 (2025): 23ºCBCAT

Seção

Catálise para transição energética