Synthesis, characterization, and application of ruthenium-doped SrTiO&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; perovskite catalysts for microwave-assisted methane dry reforming

Gangurde, L.S.; Sturm, G.S.J.; Valero Romero, M.J.; Mallada, Reyes; Santamaria, Jesus; Stankiewicz, A.I.; Stefanidis, G.

doi:10.1016/j.cep.2018.03.024

Synthesis, characterization, and application of ruthenium-doped SrTiO₃ perovskite catalysts for microwave-assisted methane dry reforming

Title

Synthesis, characterization, and application of ruthenium-doped SrTiO₃ perovskite catalysts for microwave-assisted methane dry reforming

Author

Gangurde, L.S. (TU Delft Intensified Reaction and Separation Systems)
Sturm, G.S.J. (TU Delft Intensified Reaction and Separation Systems)
Valero Romero, M.J. (TU Delft ChemE/Catalysis Engineering)
Mallada, Reyes (Environmental Technology C/ Mariano Esquillor)
Santamaria, Jesus (Environmental Technology C/ Mariano Esquillor)
Stankiewicz, A.I. (TU Delft Intensified Reaction and Separation Systems)
Stefanidis, G. (TU Delft Intensified Reaction and Separation Systems; Katholieke Universiteit Leuven)

Date

2018

Abstract

A series of ruthenium-doped strontium titanate (SrTiO₃) perovskite catalysts were synthesized by conventional and microwave-assisted hydrothermal methods. The structure was analyzed by X-Ray diffraction (XRD) confirming the formation of the perovskite phase with some TiO₂ anatase phase in all the catalysts. Microwave irradiation decreases the temperature and time of synthesis from 220 °C for 24 h (conventional heating) to 180 °C for 1h, without affecting the formation of perovskite. A 7 wt. % ruthenium-doped SrTiO₃ catalyst showed the best dielectric properties, and thus its catalytic activity was evaluated for the methane dry reforming reaction under microwave heating in a custom fixed-bed quartz reactor. Microwave power, CH₄:CO₂ vol. % feed ratio and gas hourly space velocity (GHSV) were varied in order to determine the best conditions for performing dry reforming with high reactants conversions and H₂/CO ratio. Stable maximum CH₄ and CO₂ conversions of ∼99.5% and ∼94%, respectively, at H₂/CO ∼0.9 were possible to reach with the 7 wt. % ruthenium-doped SrTiO₃ catalyst exposed to maximum temperatures in the vicinity of 940 °C. A comparative theoretical scale-up study shows significant improvement in H₂ production capability in the case of the perovskite catalyst compared to carbon-based catalysts.