Recent progress in the application of Ni-based catalysts for the dry reforming of methane

Ni-based catalysts are highly efficient in methane-reforming processes. In the particular case of methane reforming in the presence of carbon dioxide, or dry reforming of methane (DRM), it is necessary to modify and control the initial properties of the catalyst to confer on it resistance to carbon deposition in particular, and to sintering of the Ni metal particles. In this regard, catalytic supports and promoters of different natures have been proposed. Likewise, the addition of small amounts of noble metals to avoid oxidation of the Ni active phase during the reforming reaction has been proposed. Catalyst preparation methods have also been identified as being of particular interest, since they can affect the structure of the Ni metal particles. In this review, the thermodynamic and kinetic aspects of the dry reforming of methane reaction are presented first. The most recent developments in synthetic methods (impregnation, sol-gel, co-precipitation, equilibrium deposition filtration, atomic layer deposition, non-thermal glow discharge plasma, multi-bubble sonoluminescence, “core-shell” structure) aimed at maximizing the dispersion and thermal resistance of Ni particles are then discussed and compared. The catalytic supports used to promote dispersion of the active metallic phase, the oxygen-storage capacity, and the metal/support interaction are also described. The review then addresses the fact that both the nature of the support and the addition of promoters and other metallic phases that modify the surface properties can control the interaction between the metal and the support, the electronic density of the active phase, and the degree of Ni reduction. Finally, new lines of research focused on the DRM process to make the reaction conditions milder and favor the process at low temperatures are also summarized.