CO_2 reforming of methane over nickel catalysts supported on nanocrystalline MgAl_2O_4 with high surface area

In this paper dry reforming of methane （DRM） was carried out over nanocrystalline MgAl2O4-supported Ni catalysts with various Ni loadings. Nanocrystalline MgAl2O4 spinel with high specific surface area was synthesized by a co-precipitation method with the addition of pluronic P123 triblock copolymer as surfactant, and employed as catalyst support. The prepared samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction （XRD）, N2 adsorption, H2 chemisorption, temperature-programmed reduction （TPR）, temperature-programmed oxidation （TPO）, temperature- programmed desorption （TPD） and transmission and scanning electron microscopies （TEM, SEM） techniques. The obtained results showed that the catalyst support has a nanocrystalline structure （crystal size： about 5 nm） with a high specific surface area （175 m2 g-1） and a mesoporous structure. Increasing in nickel content decreased the specific surface area and nickel dispersion. The prepared catalysts showed high catalytic activity and stability during the reaction. SEM analysis revealed that whisker type carbon deposited over the spent catalysts and increasing in nickel loading increased the amount of deposited carbon. The nickel catalyst with 7 wt% of nickel showed the highest catalytic activity.

Nickel catalysts supported on MgO with different specific surface area for carbon dioxide reforming of methane

In this paper, three kinds of MgO with different specific surface area were prepared, and their effects on the catalytic performance of nickel catalysts for the carbon dioxide reforming of methane were investigated. The results showed that MgO support with the higher specific surface area led to the higher dispersion of the active metal, which resulted in the higher initial activity. On the other hand, the specific surface area of MgO materials might not be the dominant factor for the basicity of support to chemisorb and activate CO2, which was another important factor for the performance of catalysts. Herein, Ni/MgO(CA) catalyst with proper specific surface area and strong ability to activate CO2exhibited stable catalytic property and the carbon species deposited on the Ni/MgO(CA) catalyst after 10 h of reaction at 650 ?C were mainly activated carbon species.

Effect of initial nickel particle size on stability of nickel catalysts for aqueous phase reforming

The deactivation behavior by crystallite growth of nickel nanoparticles on various supports（carbon nanofibers, zirconia, Si C, α-Al2O3 and γ-Al2O3） was investigated in the aqueous phase reforming of ethylene glycol. Supported Ni catalysts of ~10 wt% were prepared by impregnation of carbon nanofibers（CNF）,Zr O2, SiC, γ-Al2O3 and α-Al2O3. The extent of the Ni nanoparticle growth on various support materials follows the order CNF ~ ZrO2〉 SiC 〉 γ-Al2O3〉〉 α-Al2O3 which sequence, however, was determined by the initial Ni particle size. Based on the observed nickel leaching and the specific growth characteristics; the particle size distribution and the effect of loading on the growth rate, Ostwald ripening is suggested to be the main mechanism contributing to nickel particle growth. Remarkably, initially smaller Ni particles（~12 nm） supported on α-Al2O3 were found to outgrow Ni particles with initially larger size（~20 nm）. It is put forward that the higher susceptibility with respect to oxidation of the smaller Ni nanoparticles and differences in initial particle size distribution are responsible for this behavior.

Study on ethylene/1-hexene copolymerization catalyzed by α-diimine nickel catalysts with different ligands--Dedicated to Professor Xiuwen Han on the occasion of her 80th birthday

The structure of polyolefin has an important influence on its performance and application.Ethylene/1-hexene copolymerization is one of the important ways to control the structure of the polyolefin.However,research on the ethylene/1-hexene copolymerization catalyzed by nickel complexes with different steric ligands remains to be refined.Here,three α-dimine nickel catalysts are used to study the ligand effect on catalytic performance in the ethylene/1-hexene copolymerization.Reaction activity,molecular weight,phase-transition temperature and branching density of the resultant copolymer are measured to evaluate the catalytic performance.The results indicate that the steric ligands could exert great effect on the copolymerization.As for the chemical valence of Ni species,detailed EPR demonstrate that the presence of excess xo-catalyst can reduce Ni(Ⅱ)to the lower valence and affect the catalytic performance.

Dry reforming reaction over nickel catalysts supported on nanocrystalline calcium aluminates with different CaO/Al_2O_3 ratios

Nanocrystalline calcium aluminates with different CaO/Al2O3 ratios were prepared by a facile co-precipitation method using Poly（ethylene glycol）-block-poly（propylene glycol）-block-poly（ethylene glycol） （PEG-PPG-PEG, MW： 5800） as a surfactant. They were employed as catalyst support for nickel catalysts in methane reforming with carbon dioxide. The prepared samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction （XRD）, N2 adsorption （BET）, temperature-programmed reduction and oxidation （TPR-TPO）, and scanning electron microscopy （SEM） techniques. Catalysts showed a relatively high catalytic activity and stability. TPR analysis revealed that the catalysts with higher CaO content are more difficult to be reduced. TPO analysis showed that the 5 wt%Ni/CA and 5 wt%Ni/C12A7 catalysts with higher CaO amount were effective against coke deposition.

Phosphine/Benzocyclone-based Neutral Nickel Catalysts for Ethylene Polymerization and Copolymerization with Polar Monomers

The efficient copolymerization of olefin with polar monomers using nickel-based catalysts presents a longstanding challenge. In this contribution, three phosphine-benzocyclone ligands and corresponding neutral nickel catalysts(Ni1: Ar = Ph;Ni2: Ar = 2-(C_(6)H_(5))C_(6)H_(4);Ni3: Ar = 2-[2',6'-(Me O)_(2)-C_(6)H3]C_(6)H_(4)) were prepared and applied for the ethylene polymerization and copolymerization with polar monomers without any cocatalyst. The bulky substituent groups in complexes Ni2 and Ni3 contributed to high catalytic activities(up to 7.24×10^(6) and 9.04×10^(6)g·mol Ni^(-1)·h^(-1), respectively), and produced high-molecular-weight polyethylene(Mw up to 545.7 k Da). Complex Ni3 exhibited high activities for ethylene polymerization at the level of 10^(6) g·mol Ni^(-1)·h^(-1) across a wide range from 30 ℃ to 120 ℃, exhibiting excellent high temperature tolerance. These nickel complexes were also effectively employed in the copolymerization of ethylene with methyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, butyl acrylate and lauryl acrylate, producing copolymers with high molecular weights(Mw up to 80.5 k Da) and high polar monomer incorporation(up to 8.2 mol%). Microstructure analyses revealed that the introduction of large sterically hindered substituents facilitated the incorporation of polar functional units into the polymer backbone. This study demonstrates the potential of these nickel-based catalysts for efficient copolymerization of olefin with polar monomers.

Macrocyclic Binuclearα-Diimine Nickel Catalysts for Ethylene Polymerization

Polyolefins are globally important plastics.Molecular weight and molecular weight distribution are two key parameters for determining the properties of polyolefin materials.In this contribution,we develop a strategy for combining the macrocyclic framework and the binuclear effect into the benchmarkα-diimine late transition metal catalysts,and thus macrocyclic binuclearα-diimine nickel catalysts(Ni_(2)-Me and Ni_(2)-iPr)are prepared.Compared to the classical Brookhart's acyclic mononuclearα-diimine nickel analogues(Ni_(1)-Me and Ni_(1)-iPr),these nickel catalysts exhibit enhanced thermostability(up to 110℃)and produce polyethylenes with higher molecular weights(up to 7 times)and lower branching densities(as low as 9 branches/1000C)in methylaluminoxane(MAO)activated ethylene polymerization.This translates into the ability of the catalyst to afford more linear high molecular weight polyethylenes.In particular,bimodal polyethylenes with broad molecular weight distributions(Mw/Mn=8.08-14.66)are generated by the sole catalyst.This work affords diverse polyethylenes.

Silica Modulation of Raney Nickel Catalysts for Selective Hydrogenation

Selective hydrogenation over earth-abundant metal catalysts is challenging but particularly valuable for practical applications in heterogeneous catalysis.Herein,we demonstrate that the catalytic selectivity of the commercial Raney nickel catalyst can be greatly tuned by modulation of the nickel surface by silica.Using quinoline hydrogenation as a model,we show that the silica-modified Raney nickel catalysts exhibit good activity,excellent selectivity,and long stability,whereas the undesired over-hydrogenation reactions are effectively hindered.In contrast,the pristine Raney nickel catalyst shows inferior selectivity for the targeted product.Mechanistic studies confirm a positive role of silica to facilitate the desorption of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline from the catalyst surface,thus enhancing the product selectivity.

Research Progress of Nickel Iron Bimetallic Series Electrocatalytic Materials

Hydrogen energy has become one of the recognized clean energy sources worldwide due to its advantages such as low cost,renewable energy,and green environmental protec-tion.Electrolytic water is currently one of the most promising solutions for providing hydrogen fuel.Nickel iron bimetallic electrocatalysts have abundant sources,low cost,clean and pollution-free properties,and strong catalytic performance,This article mainly reviews the development and research of bimetallic nickel iron oxides and nickel iron alloys in recent years,and explores their synthesis methods,properties,and stability in depth.

Design and Theoretical Study of Nickel Catalysts for Syndiotactic Polyolefins

A nickel catalyst was modeled with ligand L^2, [NH = CH-CH = CH-O]^-, whichshould have potential use as a syndiotactic polyolefin catalyst, and the reaction mechanim wasstudied by theoretical calculations using the density functional method at the B3LYP/LANL2MB level.The mechanism involves the formation of the intermediate [NiL^2Me]^+, in which the metal occupies aT-shaped geometry. This intermediate has two possible structures with the methyl group trans eitherto the oxygen or to the nitrogen atom of L^2. The results show that both structures can lead to thedesired product via similar reaction paths, A and B. Thus, the polymerization could be considered astaking place either with the alkyl group occupying the position trans to the Ni-O or trans to theNi-N bond in the catalyst. The polymerization process thus favors the catalysis of syndiotacticpolyolefins. The syndiotactic synthesis effects could also be enhanced by variations in the ligandsubstituents. From energy considerations, we can conclude that it is more favorable for the methylgroup to occupy the trans-O position to form a complex than to occupy the trans-N position. Frombond length considerations, it is also more favoured for ethene to occupy the trans-O position thanto occupy the trans-N position.

Nickel single atom overcoordinated active sites to accelerate the electrochemical reaction kinetics for Li-S cathode

Lithium-sulfur(Li-S)batteries with high theoretical energy density are promising advanced energy storage devices.However,shuttling of dissolute lithium polysulfide(LiPSs)and sluggish conversion kinetics impede their applications.Herein,single nickel(Ni)atoms on two-dimensional(2D)nitrogen(N)-doped carbon with Ni-N_(4)-O overcoordinated structure(SANi-N_(4)-O/NC)are prepared and firstly used as a sulfur host of Li-S batteries.Due to the efficient polysulfides traps and highly LiPSs conversion effect of SANi-N_(4)-O/NC,the electrochemical performance of Li-S batteries obviously improved.The batteries can well operate even under high sulfur loading(5.8 mg cm^(-2))and lean electrolyte(6.1μL mg^(-1))condition.Meanwhile,density functional theory(DFT)calculations demonstrate that Ni single atom’s active sites decrease the energy barriers of conversion reactions from Li_(2)S_(8)to Li2S due to the strong interaction between SANi-N_(4)-O/NC and LiPSs.Thus,the kinetic conversion of LiPSs was accelerated and the shuttle effect is suppressed on SANi-N_(4)-O/NC host.This study provides a new design strategy for a 2D structure with single-atom overcoordinated active sites to facilitate the fast kinetic conversion of LiPSs for Li-S cathode.

CO_2 Reforming of CH_4 over Nickel and Cobalt Catalysts Prepared from La-Based Perovskite Precursors

Four perovskite-type complex oxides (LaNiO_3, La_2NiO_4, LaCoO_3 andLa_2CoO_4) were successfully prepared using two sol-gel methods, the Pechini method (PC) and thecitric acid complexing method (CC). The catalysts were characterized by XRD and TPR. Afterreduction, the activity of the catalysts in the CO_2 reforming of methane was tested. Ni-basedcatalysts from La_2NiO_4 precursors were the most active and stable catalyst after calcination above850 ℃, which gave a methane conversion of 0.025 mmol/(g·s) for those prepared by the PC methodand 0.020 mmol/(g·s) by the CC method. It was proposed that the well-defined structure and lowerreducibility is responsible for the unusual catalytic behavior observed over the pre-reducedLa2NiO_4 catalyst.

Selective hydroconversion of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural to 2,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)furan using carbon nanotubes-supported nickel catalysts

2,5-Bis(hydroxymethyl)furan(BHMF)is a high-value,bio-based,rigid diol that resembles aromatic monomers for the production of different polyesters.In this work,a carbon nanotubes(CNTs)-supported nickel catalyst(Ni/CNTs)was prepared and used for the selective hydrogenation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural(HMF)to BHMF at low hydrogen pressure.The prepared catalyst was analyzed by nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms,X-ray diffraction(XRD),and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS).According to kinetic studies,the rate constant for BHMF formation is significantly larger than that for the formation of the byproduct,5-methyl furfural(MF).At optimal reaction conditions,conversion and selectivity rates of HMF and BHMF were 99.8%and 95.0%,respectively.The mechanistic study indicated the coexistence of Ni0 and Ni2+species on the catalyst surface affects the catalytic performance.A possible mechanism was proposed to describe the synergetic effects of Ni0 and Ni2+.Furthermore,the catalyst can be easily separated from the reaction mixture for recycling.

Intrinsic kinetics of catalytic hydrogenation of 2-nitro-4-acetylamino anisole to 2-amino-4-acetylamino anisole over Raney nickel catalyst

The catalytic hydrogenation of 2-nitro-4-acetylamino anisole(NMA)is a less-polluting and efficient method to produce 2-amino-4-acetamino anisole(AMA).However,the kinetics of catalytic hydrogenation of NMA to AMA remains obscure.In this work,the kinetic models including power-law model and Langmuir-Hinshelwood-Hougen-Watson(LHHW)model of NMA hydrogenation to AMA catalyzed by Raney nickel catalyst were investigated.All experiments were carried out under the elimination of mass transfer resistance within the temperature range of 70–100°C and the hydrogen pressure of 0.8–1.5 MPa.The reaction was found to follow 0.52-order kinetics with respect to the NMA concentration and 1.10-order kinetics in terms of hydrogen pressure.Based on the LHHW model,the dual-site dissociation adsorption of hydrogen was analyzed to be the rate determining step.The research of intrinsic kinetics of NMA to AMA provides the guidance for the reactor design and inspires the catalyst modification.

Ni/Al_2O_3 catalysts for syngas methanation: Effect of Mn promoter

Ni/Al2O3 catalysts with different amounts of manganese ranging from 1 to 3 wt% as promoter were prepared by co-impregnation method. The catalysts were characterized by N2 physisorption, XRD, TPR, SEM and TEM. Their catalytic activity towards syngas methanation reaction was also investigated using a fixed-bed integral reactor. It was demonstrated that the addition of manganese to Ni/Al2O3 catalysts can increase the catalyst surface area and average pore volume, but decrease NiO crystallite size, leading to higher activity and stability. The effects of reaction temperature, pressure and weight hourly space velocity （WHSV） on carbon oxides conversion and CH4 formation rate were also studied. High carbon oxides conversion, CH4 selectivity and formation rate were achieved at the reaction temperature range of 280 300℃.

Methane Steam Reforming on Supported Nickel, Effect of Nickel Content for Product Hydrogen

The steam reforming of methane over NiO/ZnO mixed oxides with different nickel contents was studied. Solids to x% Ni/ZnO (x = 4 and 10%) were deposited on ZnO by impregnation from nickel nitrate solution;after vaporization the solid is calcined at 500°C for 6 h. The catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and BET method, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and temperature programmed reduction (TPR). The XRD patterns revealed the NiO phase for all calcined catalysts. The chemical analysis confirmed the theoretical values of nickel. The catalysts were pre-treated under hydrogen at 500°C in situ, overnight before testing for the steam reforming of methane reaction (CH4/H2O/Ar = 10/10/80) in the temperature range (475°C - 650°C) under atmospheric pressure. The activities of both catalysts were investigated in a fixed-bed reactor for the Methane Steam Reforming (MSR) reaction. Globally, it was shown that the catalyst 10% nickel content has an important effect on the catalytic performances of solids i.e. the better results of hydrogen production were obtained with 10% wt. Ni/ZnO (28 ′ 10-3 mol/g catalyst).

Methanation of carbon dioxide on Ni/ZrO_2-Al_2O_3 catalysts:Effects of ZrO_2 promoter and preparation method of novel ZrO_2-Al_2O_3 carrier

The novel nickel-based catalysts with a nickel content of 12 wt% were prepared with the zirconia-alumina composite as the supports. The new carriers, ZrO2 improved alumina, were synthesized by three methods, i.e., impregnation-precipitation, co-precipitation, and impregnation method. The catalytic properties of these catalysts were investigated in the methanation of carbon dioxide, and the samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction （XRD）, X-ray photoelectron spectroscope （XPS）, temperature-programmed reduction （TPR） and temperature-programmed desorption （TPD） techniques. The new catalysts showed higher catalytic activity and better stability than Ni/γ-Al2O3. Furthermore, as a support for new nickel catalyst, the ZrO2-Al2O3 composite prepared by the impregnation-precipitation method was more efficient than the other supports in the methanation of carbon dioxide. The highly dispersed zirconium oxide on the surface of γ-Al2O3 inhibited the formation of nickel aluminate-like phase, which was responsible for the better dispersion of Ni species and easier reduction of NiO species, leading to the enhanced catalytic performance of corresponding catalyst.

Effect of CeO_2 addition on Ni/Al_2O_3 catalysts for methanation of carbon dioxide with hydrogen

The Ni-CeO2/Al2O3 catalysts with a nickel content of 15 wt% prepared via impregnating boehmite were found to be highly active and stable for methanation of carbon dioxide with hydrogen at a H2/CO2 molar ratio of 4. The effects of CeO2 content and reaction temperature on the performance of the Ni-CeO2/Al2O3 catalysts were studied in detail. The results showed that the catalytic performance was strongly dependent on the CeO2 content in Ni-CeO2/Al2O3 catalysts and that the catalysts with 2 wt% CeO2 had the highest catalytic activity among the tested ones at 350 ℃. The XRD and H2-TPR characterizations revealed that the addition of CeO2 decreased the reduction temperature by altering the interaction between Ni and Al2O3, and improved the reducibility of the catalyst. Preliminary stability test of 120 h on stream over the Ni-2CeO2/Al2O3 catalyst at 350 ℃ revealed that the catalyst was much better than the unpromoted one.

Study on the Reaction Mechanism for Carbon Dioxide Reforming of Methane over supported Nickel Catalyst

The adsorption and dissociation of methane and carbon dioxide for reforming on nickel catalyst were extensively investigated by TPSR and TPD experiments. It showed that the decomposition of methane results in the formation of at least three kinds of surface carbon species on supported nickel catalyst, while CO2 adsorbed on the catalyst weakly and only existed in one kind of adsorption state. Then the mechanism of interaction between the species dissociated from CH4 and CO2 during reforming was proposed.

Ni catalysts supported on nanocrystalline magnesium oxide for syngas production by CO_2 reforming of CH_4

CO2 reforming of methane （CDRM） was carried out over MgO supported Ni catalysts with various Ni loadings. The preparation of MgO supported Ni catalysts via surfactant-assisted precipitation method led to the formation of a nanocrystalline carrier for nickel catalysts. The synthesized samples were characterized by XRD, N2 adsorption-desorption, H2 chemisorption, TPR, TPO and SEM techniques. It was found that the high catalytic activity and stability of the prepared catalysts could be attributable to high dispersion of reduced Ni species and basicity of support surface. In addition, the effect of feed ratio, nickel loading and GHSV on the catalytic performance of CDRM over the catalysts were investigated.