The role of CeO₂-ZrO₂ distribution on the Ni/MgAl₂O₄ catalyst during the combined steam and CO ₂ reforming of methane

The effect of the distribution of CeO₂-ZrO₂ on Ni/MgAl₂O₄ catalyst on the catalytic performance during the combined steam and carbon dioxide reforming of CH₄ (CSCR) was investigated on two different catalysts prepared using a sequential impregnation and co-precipitation of Ni and CeO₂-ZrO₂ components. The CeO₂-ZrO₂ plays an important role in the CO₂ conversion by enhancing a facile activation of CO₂ with an adjacent contact with nickel crystallites. The CSCR catalysts prepared by the co-precipitation of nickel and CeO₂-ZrO₂ on MgAl ₂O₄ support shows a catalytic activity superior to the catalyst prepared by sequential impregnation of nickel on the MgAl ₂O₄ support with CeO₂-ZrO₂ due to the homogeneous distribution of CeO₂-ZrO₂ with the formation of small nickel crystallites and a large amount of active sites for CO₂ adsorption.