CO Methanation Over SAPO-34 Supported Ni Catalysts

In this study, carbon monoxide methanation was investigated with 15 %NiO doped SAPO34 zeolite supported catalysts. The SAPO34 support was produced by hydrothermal synthesis, and nickeloxide was added to the support by impregnation and surfactant impregnation method by using different solvents (water, ethanol, acetone and 1-propanol). Various characterization techniques were used to determine the physical properties of catalysts and support (N2 physisorption, XRD, SEM, TEM, FTIR). XRD analysis showed that synthesizing the catalysts with surfactant reduced the average crystal size. The average crystal sizes of the catalysts prepared by the impregnation and surfactant assisted impregnation methods are between 11.3-7.1 nm and 8.9-7.1 nm, respectievely. N2 physisorption analysis showed that catalysts prepared by the surfactant-assisted impregnation method had higher surface areas than the catalysts prepared by the classical impregnation method. It was observed that the surface area of the catalyst increased as the boiling point of the solvent increased. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis showed that particle size of the catalysts with propanol prepared by impregnation and surfactant assisted impregnation methods are 118 nm and 86 nm, respectievely. Surfactant caused to produce smaller particles. The CO methanation studies showed that highest CO conversion values were reached with Ni/SAPO34 catalyst using 1-propanol prepared by impregnation and surfactant assisted impregnation methods which gave 19.2% and 21.1% CO conversion to methane at 375C, respectievely The low methane formation rates showed that most of the CO component was adsorbed on the surface and some of it was converted to methane.