Nano ZrO2 and MgO-ZrO2 were prepared by a self-assembly route and were employed as the support for Ni catalysts used in hydrogen production from glycerol reforming in supercritical water (SCW). The reforming experiments were conducted in a tubular fixed-bed flow reactor over a temperature range of 600-800℃. The influences of process variables such as temperature, contact time, and water to glycerol ratio on hydrogen yield were investigated and the catalysts were charactered by ICP, BET, XRD and SEM. The results showed that high hydrogen yield was obtained from glycerol by reforming in supercritical water over the Ni/MgO-ZrO2 catalysts in a short contact time. The MgO in the catalyst showed significant promotion effect for hydrogen production likely due to the formation of the alkaline active site. Even when the glycerol feed concentration was up to 45 wt%, glycerol was completely gasified and transfered to the gas products containing hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and methane along with small amounts of carbon monoxide. At a diluted feed concentration of 5 wt%, near theoretical yield of 7 mole of H2/mol of glycerol could be obtained.
Amorphous Ni-B/ZrO2 catalysts were prepared by coprecipitation-chemical reduction with KBH4 aqueous solution,and various crystalline phase ZrO2(amorphous-ZrO2,tetragonal-ZrO2 and monoclinic-ZrO2) supported Ni-B catalysts were obtained by thermal treatment in 5%H2-N2 stream at different temperature.The effect of ZrO2 polymorphs and the treatment temperature on the catalytic performance for the CO selective methanation were investigated,and the catalysts were characterized by N2 physisorption,Powder X-ray diffraction(XRD), Temperature-Programmed Desorption(CO-TPD and H2-TPD),and Differential Scanning Calorimeter(DSC).The treatment temperature affected strongly the crystalline structure of ZrO2,and the CO methanation activity and selectivity of the Ni-B/ZrO2 catalysts were significantly influenced by the crystalline phase of ZrO2.Of the three forms of ZrO2 polymorphs(amorphou-ZrO2,tetragonal-ZrO2 and monoclinic-ZrO2),the amorphous-ZrO2 supported nickle catalyst showed highest CO methanation activity,attributing in large part to the largest specific surface area and the optimum CO/H2 absorption intensity of the Ni-B/amorphous-ZrO2 catalyst.
