Atomically dispersed nickel as coke-resistant active sites for methane dry reforming

• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-12843-w
• Publication Date: 2019-11-15T11:03:48Z
• Authors: Mohcin Akri; Shu Zhao; Xiaoyu Li; Ketao Zang; Adam F. Lee; Mark A. Isaacs; Wei Xi; Yuvaraj Gangarajula; Jun Luo; Yujing Ren; Yi-Tao Cui; Lei Li; Yang Su; Xiaoli Pan; Wu Wen; Yang Pan; Karen Wilson; Lin Li; Botao Qiao; Hirofumi Ishii; Yen-Fa Liao; Aiqin Wang; Xiaodong Wang; Tao Zhang
• Keywords: Composite material; Catalyst synthesis; Science; Materials Science; Catalytic Dehydrogenation of Light Alkanes; Organic chemistry; 02 engineering and technology; 7. Clean energy; Article; Catalytic Carbon Dioxide Hydrogenation; Catalysis; Chemical engineering; Engineering; Nickel; Materials Chemistry; Carbon fibers; Nanotechnology; Coke; FOS: Chemical engineering; Heterogeneous catalysis; Decomposition; FOS: Nanotechnology; Science & Technology; Nanoscale materials; Dry Reforming; TOTAL-ENERGY CALCULATIONS; Q; Methane Activation; Composite number; Chemical Engineering; 540; Syngas; Carbon dioxide reforming; Materials science; Raw material; METAL-SUPPORT INTERACTIONS; Environmental sciences; Multidisciplinary Sciences; Catalytic Nanomaterials; Chemistry; 13. Climate action; Physical Sciences; Metallurgy; Science & Technology - Other Topics; 0210 nano-technology; Methane; Materials for energy and catalysis

AbstractDry reforming of methane (DRM) is an attractive route to utilize CO2 as a chemical feedstock with which to convert CH4 into valuable syngas and simultaneously mitigate both greenhouse gases. Ni-based DRM catalysts are promising due to their high activity and low cost, but suffer from poor stability due to coke formation which has hindered their commercialization. Herein, we report that atomically dispersed Ni single atoms, stabilized by interaction with Ce-doped hydroxyapatite, are highly active and coke-resistant catalytic sites for DRM. Experimental and computational studies reveal that isolated Ni atoms are intrinsically coke-resistant due to their unique ability to only activate the first C-H bond in CH4, thus avoiding methane deep decomposition into carbon. This discovery offers new opportunities to develop large-scale DRM processes using earth abundant catalysts.