Ni-foam-structured NiO-MO_x-Al₂O₃ (M = Ce or Mg) nanocomposite catalyst for high throughput catalytic partial oxidation of methane to syngas

Self-supported NiO-MO_x-Al₂O₃ (M = Ce or Mg) nanocomposites mounted on a Ni-foam (110 PPI) as the monolithic structured catalyst have been developed for the high throughput catalytic partial oxidation of methane to syngas. The catalysts are obtainable by direct growth of NiAl layered double hydroxides nanosheets and subsequent impregnation with boehmite sol containing Al-Ce or Al-Mg nitrates. Such catalysts are highly active and selective with promising stability in the title reaction, for example, the NiO-CeO₂-Al₂O₃/Ni-foam achieves a high methane conversion of 86.4% with 91.2%/89.0% selectivities to H₂/CO and is stable for at least 100 h at 700 °C and a high gas hourly space velocity of 100 L g⁻¹ h⁻¹. Thanks to a feasible CeO₂↔CeAlO₃ chemical cycling that is able to promote the O₂ activation to create an oxidative environment around Ni particles, carbon formation rate is dramatically suppressed by a factor of at least 5 compared to the base catalyst.