Hydrogen Generation from CO 2 Reforming of Biomass-Derived Methanol on Ni/SiO 2 Catalyst

CO 2 reforming of methanol for producing hydrogen was experimentally carried out in a fixed-bed reactor on 10%Ni/SiO 2 . The 10%Ni/SiO 2 was completely reduced during H 2 activation and it had the surface area of 240.5 m 2 /g. As CO 2 reforming of methanol has an endothermic nature, the substantial improvement in methanol conversion from 52 to 99% was evident with rising temperature from 450 to 550 °C, respectively. H 2 /CO ratios varying within 1.65–1.76 were evidenced at different reaction temperatures. These H 2 /CO ratios are preferred as feedstocks for long-chain hydrocarbons generation in Fischer–Tropsch production. Ni 0 metallic phase was maintained during CO 2 reforming of methanol and hence catalytic activity was stable within 8 h on-stream. Although amorphous and graphitic species were unavoidably yielded on catalyst surface, catalytic deterioration in CO 2 reforming of methanol was not observed due to the concomitant CO 2 gasification of surface carbonaceous species during reaction.