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Milling-Induced Defects in Ni/Zirconia Catalysts for Enhancing Catalytic Activity in Dry Methane Reforming

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide Alteration of the support structure via milling is a feasible yet rarely applied strategy for boosting the performance of the catalyst in dry methane reforming for syngas production. In this study, we introduce stable oxygen vacancies in the zirconia structure, which enhance the activation of the feedstock, specifically CO 2, while preserving the specific surface area and porosity of the material under reaction conditions. The activity of the tested Ni/ZrO 2 assemblies shows a clear dependence on the milling intensity of ZrO 2, with mild milling at 400 rpm yielding the most active catalyst. At 600 °C, this material achieved the highest feedstock conversion among the tested samples, with 29% for CH 4 and 39% for CO 2 . Spectroscopic characterization indicates that the activity of the tested catalysts is controlled by a partial change in the phase composition of the support from monoclinic to tetragonal under reaction conditions, as well as the nature and population of O 2 – species, oxygen vacancies, Zr 3+ defects, and Ni–ZrO 2 interfacial interactions.

Source: The Journal of Physical Chemistry C

DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.5c08218