Selective oxidation of methane to CO and H₂ over unreduced NiO-rare earth oxide catalysts

Abstract

NiO-LnO _x (Ln = lanthanide) catalysts (with Ni∶Ln=1∶1) without prereduction show high activity/selectivity and very high productivity in the oxidative conversion of methane to CO and H₂. The catalysts are first activated in the initial reaction, which is started at 535–560°C, by the reduction of NiO and creation of active sites. The carbon deposition on the catalysts in the reaction, particularly for the NiO-Gd₂O₃, NiO-Tb₄O₇ and NiO-Dy₂O₃ catalysts, is quite fast but it has caused a little or no influence on the catalytic activity/selectivity. Pulse reaction of pure methane on NiO-Nd₂O₃ (at 600°C) shows involvement of lattice oxygen in the initial reaction and also reveals formation of carbon from CO on the catalyst reduced in the reaction.