Catalysis of NiO–Al2O3 aerogels for the CO2-reforming of CHF4

Uniform and monolithic NiO–Al2O3 aerogels were prepared from cyclic nickel glycoxide, (CH2O)2Ni, and boehmite sol, AlOOH, and the catalyst performance of the aerogels for the CO2-reforming of methane was investigated. The NiO–Al2O3 aerogels showed higher activity than impregnation NiO/Al2O3 catalysts, while the aerogels exhibited much less activity for coking than the impregnation catalysts. Less deactivation was also observed on the aerogel catalysts than on the impregnation catalysts in the continuous-flow reaction. The Ni was uniformly incorporated throughout alumina where both the metal and the support exist in the aerogel form, i.e., Ni–O–Al bond was considered to be formed in the aerogels. As a result, fine Ni particles appeared after H2 reduction throughout the alumina support with high dispersion, which brought about not only higher activity but also much less activity for coking on the aerogels. Retardation of catalyst deactivation was ascribed to the suppression of both coking and sintering of Ni particles on the aerogels.