Preparation and Characterization of Ru-Based Catalyst for Power to Gas Applications

Heterogeneous catalysis plays a crucial role in various industrial processes, representing a key aspect also in the energy transition for the development of new technologies. Among them, Power to Gas (PtG), belonging to the e-fuels category, requires a deep study of catalysis to convert CO2 and green hydrogen coming from the water electrolysis with renewable power into synthetic methane, contributing to carbon-neutral goals and net-zero emission targets. In this context, the preparation and characterization of Ru-based catalyst on alumina support are carried out through a patented experimental procedure to evaluate performance parameters for PtG applications. Two main preparations are performed to assess the differences of the final product, which is a 0.5 wt% Ru on 1/8" alumina sphere support in the dry form. In the first case, a laboratory-scale production is carried out to produce 300 g of catalyst (Batch 1), while in the second one, the preparation is brought to 3 kg of catalyst (Batch 2) by using a pilot plant. In both cases, wet impregnation technique is used to prepare the Ru-based catalyst. Beyond the production, analytical tests are performed to evaluate the main features of the product and ascertain the differences between the two productions.