Breakthrough scalable synthesis of anti-coking Cs-Ni/CeO_x-Al₂O₃ nanocatalysts for optimal dry reforming performance

The dry reforming (DR) reaction is an eco-friendly process for producing synthesis gas (CO, H₂) from greenhouse gases (CH₄, CO₂). Despite advancements in various nickel (Ni)-supported catalysts for this reaction, achieving high catalyst stability against carbon deposition and improving conversion rates remain significant challenges. In this paper, we introduce a novel approach for synthesizing uniform Ni nanocatalysts with cesium (Cs) and cerium oxide (CeO_x). This synthesis is achieved using an automated device based on a co-melt infiltration technique. Our method addresses the limitations of conventional catalyst synthesis, such as complex procedures, low reproducibility, and difficulties in scaling up. The resulting catalysts contain uniformly small Ni particles, approximately 5 nm in size, with Cs and CeO_x evenly distributed throughout the alumina (Al₂O₃) support. The developed Ni/CeO_x-Al₂O₃ and Cs-Ni/CeO_x-Al₂O₃ nanocatalysts demonstrate improved conversion performance and stability under various DR conditions. This improvement is attributed to the synergistic effect of Cs and CeO_x, which creates a pathway to inhibit and remove carbon deposition. Additionally, these nanocatalysts exhibited superior resistance to carbon deposition compared to conventional Ni/Al₂O₃ and commercial Ni catalysts under identical reaction conditions.