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Catalysts for carbon dioxide methanation

Hiroyuki Takano 1Zenta Kato 2Hiroyuki Shinomiya 2Koichi Izumiya 1Naokazu Kumagai 1Koji Hashimoto 2

1. Daiki Ataka Engineering Co. Ltd., 11 Shintoyofuta, Kashiwa 277-8515, Japan
2. Tohoku Institute of Technology, 6, Futatsuzawa,Taihakuku, Sendai 982-8588, Japan

Abstract

In global carbon dioxide recycling for prevention of global warming and supply of renewable energy, fluctuating power generated by solar cells in remote deserts will be converted to H2 by seawater electrolysis and then to methane by the reaction of H2 and CO2 at desert coasts, so as to use currently existing infrastructures for natural gas for transportation and combustion. One of the authors (KH) and his coworkers found effective catalysts derived from amorphous Ni-Zr-rare earth element alloys for hydrogenation of CO2 with extremely high reaction rate and almost 100% selectivity. The high activity was attributed to the formation of nickel supported by tetragonal zirconia in contrast to the low activity of nickel supported by monoclinic zirconia. Although the stable polymorph is monoclinic, tetragonal zirconia is stabilized by doping of rare earth elements in zirconia lattice. Because amorphous alloy precursors are not suitable for mass production, we developed conventional method for preparation of the catalysts consisting of nickel supported by tetragonal zirconia and evidenced the effectiveness of such catalysts. The present work aimed to determine suitable composition and preparation method for catalysts composed of nickel supported by samarium-stabilized tetragonal zirconia. Zirconia sol with samarium nitrate and nickel nitrate were calcined at 500°C. The oxide mixtures were treated in hydrogen stream at 300°C for 5 h to form the catalysts. X-ray diffraction revealed that the catalysts consisted of metallic nickel supported by tetragonal zirconia. The methanation performance of the catalysts was examined passing a gas mixture of CO2 and H2 (1:4 volume ratio) at an atmospheric pressure through the catalyst. After reaction the gas was analyzed using a gas chromatograph equipped with a thermal conductivity detector. The catalyst with the best performance was determined by changing the ratio of nickel to oxide and that of zirconium to samarium in the oxide.

 

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Related papers

Presentation: Oral at E-MRS Fall Meeting 2007, Symposium D, by Hiroyuki Takano
See On-line Journal of E-MRS Fall Meeting 2007

Submitted: 2007-05-14 04:44
Revised:   2009-06-07 00:44