Catalytic partial oxidation of methane on Ni/ZrO2 system for syngas production

Monoclinic ZrO2-supported Ni catalysts (Ni/Z) were much more active than unsupported Ni particles for the CH4 catalytic partial oxidation, Ni0 particles in the two systems being equal in size. A strong promoting effect of metal-support interaction on activity was thus apparent. Ni/Z catalysts obtained by different preparation procedures showed similar high catalytic activity and stability despite of markedly different Ni particle size distributions. Activation treatments apparently influenced the catalytic behaviour of the Ni particles; an oxidative+reductive activation treatment of the Ni/Z catalysts determined high activity and stability, whereas, omitting the oxidative step, oscillating activity occurred.