The effect of promoter Ce on the catalytic performance of Ni/Al2O3 catalyst for autothermal reforming of methane to hydrogen was investigated. The catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction （XRD）, temperature-programmed reduction （TPR）, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy （XPS）. The results indicated that the catalytic performance of the catalysts was improved with the addition of Ce. Ni/Ce30Al70Oδ showed the highest CH4 conversion in operation temperatures ranging from 650 ℃ to 850 ℃. At the same time, the decrease in H2/CO ratio with increasing reaction temperature was consistent with the fact that water-gas shift reaction was thermodynamically unfavorable at higher temperatures. The XRD result indicated that adding Ce to Ni/Al2O3 catalyst prevented the formation of NiAl2O4 and facilitated the formation of NiO. The formation of NiO increased the number of active sites, resulting in higher activity. Comparing the TPR profiles of Ni/Ce30Al70Oδ with Ni/Al2O3, it could be clearly observed that with the addition of Ce, the total reduction peak areas in the middle and low temperatures increased. It was most probably that the addition of Ce inhibited the stronger interaction between Ni and Al2O3 to form the phase of NiAl2O4, and favored the formation of the strong interaction between NiO species and CeO2. Therefore, the addition of Ce to the Ni/Al2O3 catalyst increased the active surface that promoted the activity of the catalyst.
Dense membrane with the composition of SrFe0.6Cu0.3Ti0.1O3-δ （SFCTO） was prepared by solid state reaction method. Oxygen permeation flux through this membrane was investigated at operating temperature ranging from 750℃ to 950℃ and different oxygen partial pressure. XRD measurements indicated that the compound was able to form single-phased perovskite structure in which part of Fe was replaced by Cu and Ti. The oxygen desorption and the reducibility of SFCTO powder were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis and temperature programmed reduction analysis, respectively. It was found that SFCTO had good structure stability under low oxygen pressure at high temperature. The addition of Ti increased the reduction temperature of Cu and Fe. Performance tests showed that the oxygen permeation flux through a 1.5 mm thick SFCTO membrane was 0.35-0.96 ml·min ^-1·cm^-2 under air/helium oxygen partial pressure gradient with activation energy of 53.2 kJ·mol^-1. The methane conversion of 85%, CO selectivity of 90% and comparatively higher oxygen permeation flux of 5 ml·min^-1·cm^- 2 were achieved at 850℃, when a SFCTO membrane reactor loaded with Ni-Ce/Al2O3 catalyst was applied for the partial oxidation of methane to syngas.
