Dry Reforming of Methane on Low-Loading Rh Catalysts

Abstract

Dry reforming of methane (DRM) is a promising catalytic process for converting greenhouse gases (CH4 and CO2) into syngas (CO and H2). This study investigates DRM under moderate conditions (550 °C) using supported low-loading (0.05 wt%) metal (M) catalysts (M = Rh, Ru, Pt, Pd, Ir, Au, and Ni). The reaction was carried out for 6 h with a flow rate of 30 mL/min for both CH4 and CO2, using 0.10 g of catalyst. Among these catalysts, 0.05 wt% Rh/Al2O3 exhibited the highest DRM activity. The effect of catalyst supports revealed that Al2O3 is the most effective support for 0.05 wt% Rh. The DRM activity of Rh species supported on Al2O3 and SiO2 was compared, and the Rh species on Al2O3 outperformed those on SiO2, indicating Al2O3 enhances the DRM activity of Rh. When comparing the DRM activity of Rh nanoparticles and Rh single atoms, it was suggested that Rh nanoparticles might exhibit superior performance for DRM. Coke deposited on 0.05 wt% Rh/Al2O3 is removed by CO2, maintaining stable catalytic activity. These findings provide valuable insights into the design of catalysts that minimize the use of noble metals in DRM reactions.