Simply packaging Ni nanoparticles inside SBA-15 channels by co-impregnation for dry reforming of methane

Abstract

The highly dispersed Ni nanoparticles inside SBA-15 channels (Ni@SBA-15) were synthesized simply by co-impregnation using ethylene glycol (EG). During co-impregnation, the EG additive in the metal nitrate aqueous solution could successfully deliver and package the nickel species into the channels of mesoporous SBA-15. The characterization results suggest that drying after impregnation plays a critical role in the distribution of the precursor. Compared with conventional impregnation, redistribution and agglomeration of the Ni precursor were efficiently avoided due to the lower surface tension and high viscosity of the concentrated solution during drying, and super-small Ni nanoparticles with higher dispersions and narrow particle size distributions were predominantly confined over the internal surface of mesoporous channels instead of its external surface. The Ni@SBA-15 catalyst using co-impregnation demonstrated excellent sintering-resistance and stability in the dry reforming of methane due to its strong metal-support interaction and the confined location of Ni nanoparticles.