Effect of preparation methods of CeO2 on the properties and performance of Ni/CeO2 in CO2 reforming of CH4

Abstract CO 2 reforming of CH 4 (CRM) is not only beneficial to environmental protection, but also valuable for industrial application. Different CeO 2 supports were prepared to investigate the matching between Ni and CeO 2 over Ni/CeO 2 and its effect on CRM. The physicochemical properties of Ni/CeO 2 -C (commercial CeO 2 ), Ni/CeO 2 -H (hydrothermal method) as well as Ni/CeO 2 -P (precipitation method) were characterized by XRD, N 2 adsorption at − 196 °C, TEM, SEM–EDS, H 2 -TPR, NH 3 -TPD and XPS. Ni 0 with good dispersion and CeO 2 with more oxygen vacancies were obtained on Ni/CeO 2 -H, proving the influence on Ni/CeO 2 catalysts caused by the preparation methods of CeO 2 . The initial conversion of both CO 2 and CH 4 of Ni/CeO 2 -H was more than five times that of Ni/CeO 2 -P and Ni/CeO 2 -C. The better matching between Ni and CeO 2 on Ni/CeO 2 -H was the reason for its best catalytic performance in comparison with the Ni/CeO 2 -C and Ni/CeO 2 -P samples.