Sugarcane bagasse: alternative use of agro-industrial residue in pre-dimensioned catalytic synthesis to obtain ordered carbon and hydrogen via methane decomposition

Abstract

The sugarcane bagasse (SCB) is the most abundant residue of the sugar and alcohol industry and its use is predominantly in these same industries as a source of energy through burning. This work aims to diversify the proposals for the use of this residue; thus, the use of SCB in the alumina-supported nickel catalysts synthesis was investigated. Two routes were researched using SCB: one, the SCB was used in the alumina (catalytic support) synthesis to obtain the dimensionally predetermined materials and another to get powder materials. The materials were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), N₂ physisorption at 77 K, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and hydrogen temperature-programmed reduction (H₂-TPR). The presence of SCB in the synthesis of powder materials facilitated the incorporation of nickel particles into the crystalline lattice of the support, decreasing active nickel content for catalytic. On the other hand, the pre-dimensioned catalytic materials exhibited higher crystallinity, lower nickel oxide reduction temperature and greater disposal of active nickel, resulting in higher production of ordered carbon (carbon nanotubes) and H₂ COx-free under milder conditions in the methane decomposition reaction at 500 °C for 30 min.