Study of Ni Catalysts with Different Al2O3 Supports in the Partial Oxidation of Methane Reaction

Ni-based catalysts have been widely investigated in the partial oxidation of methane (POM). However, sintering and carbon deposition are severe problems for Ni-based catalysts in the POM reaction. Here, Ni/Al2O3 catalysts with Al2O3 supports prepared by different synthesis methods are used to investigate the effect of strong metal–support interaction (SMSI) and their relationships to the catalytic performance. As a result, the different strengths of SMSI between Ni species and various Al2O3 supports contribute to generating different contents of the reduced metallic Ni0 sites in the catalysts, which affects the catalytic activity in the POM reaction obviously. The surface unsaturated pentahedral coordination Al3+ centers supply SMSI in the Ni/Al2O3-H catalyst to prevent the catalyst from sintering and coking in the POM reaction, which results in better catalytic activity and catalyst stability. A new view is provided to solve the design of stable metal oxide catalysts by utilizing their SMSI effect.