Monolithic SiC-foam supported Ni-La2O3 composites for dry reforming of methane with enhanced carbon resistance

A monolithic silicon carbide foam (SiC-foam) structured nickel and lanthanum oxide (Ni-La 2 O 3 ) nanocomposite catalyst is developed via reducing the nickel oxide and lanthanum oxide (NiO-La 2 O 3 ) precursor that can be grown onto SiC-foam surface by depositing the needed citric acid gel followed by calcination at 750 °C. By taking the advantages of homogeneous component-distribution and strong Ni-La 2 O 3 interactions in the Ni-La 2 O 3 nanocomposites, this catalyst delivers much enhanced coke-depositing/Ni-sintering resistance than the unmodified counterpart of Ni-La 2 O 3 /alumina (Al 2 O 3 ) in the titled reaction. At 850 °C, a weight hourly space velocity (WSHV) is set as 24,000 mL CH4-CO2 g Cat −1  h −1 , methane/carbon dioxide (CH 4 /CO 2 ) conversions of 71/85% are initially achieved on the Ni-La 2 O 3 /SiC-foam catalyst followed by progressively decreased to 60/72% within 50 h (h), but remain almost unchanged for the next 50 h. On the contrary, the CH 4 /CO 2 conversions on the Ni-La 2 O 3 /Al 2 O 3 catalyst rapidly drop from 49/71% to 24/40% within only 25 h due to its serious Ni-sintering and coke deposition.