RESUMO

Designing an economically viable catalyst that maintains high catalytic activity and stability is the key to unlock dry reforming of methane (DRM) as a primary strategy for biogas valorization. Ni/Al2O3 catalysts have been widely used for this purpose; however, several modifications have been reported in the last years in order to prevent coke deposition and deactivation of the samples. Modification of the acidity of the support and the addition of noble metal promoters are between the most reported strategies. Nevertheless, in the task of designing an active and stable catalyst for DRM, the selection of an appropriate noble metal promoter is turning more challenging owing to the lack of homogeneity of the different studies. Therefore, this research aims to compare Ru (0.50 and 2.0%) and Re (0.50 and 2.0%) as noble metal promoters for a Ni/MgAl2O4 catalyst under the same synthesis and reaction conditions. Catalysts were characterized by XRF, BET, XRD, TPR, hydrogen chemisorption (H2-TPD), and dry reforming reaction tests. Results show that both promoters increase Ni reducibility and dispersion. However, Ru seems a better promoter for DRM since 0.50% of Ru increases the catalytic activity in 10% and leads to less coke deposition.

RESUMO

El catalizador de FCC está constituido por partículas de composición compleja donde el componente activo es una zeolita Y. En este trabajo se presentan los resultados texturales y estructurales de una zeolita USY comercial lixiviada, de una serie de catalizadores con 7, 15, 25, 35 y 45% de material activo y los de estos materiales desactivados hidrotérmicamente. Las muestras se caracterizaron por fluorescencia de rayos X (FRX), difracción de rayos X (DRX), resonancia magnética nuclear de silicio (29Si RMN) y fisiadsorción de nitrógeno a 77 K. A partir de estos resultados se hallaron correlaciones entre el volumen de microporo y el contenido de zeolita y entre el grado de cristalinidad y el porcentaje de zeolita. Además, se encontró que un tratamiento con sólo 20% de vapor de agua a 1033 K durante 16 horas destruye los grupos estructurales Si(2Al) y Si(3Al) como reflejo de la dealuminización drástica que sufre el material.

FCC catalyst is made up of particles of complex composition where the main active component is a Y zeolite. This work presents the textural and structural results of a commercial USY zeolite which had been previously prepared from a set of catalysts with 7, 15, 25, 35 y 45% of active material and of the hydrothermally deactivated materials zeolite. The samples have been characterized by X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), 29Si NMR spectroscopy and nitrogen adsorption at 77K. From these results was found correlations between micropore volume and zeolite content and degree crystallinity and %zeolite. Also, it was found that an hydrothermal treatment at 1033 K with only 20% steam during 16 hours destroys the structural groups Si(2Al) and Si(3Al) as a reflection of the strongly dealumination of the zeolite component of the catalyst.