Plasma assisted preparation of nickel-based catalysts supported on CeO2 with different morphologies for hydrogen production by glycerol steam reforming

Abstract Nickel based catalysts were prepared by incipient wetness impregnation method using CeO2 with morphologies of nanorods and nanoparticles as supports. Nickel nitrate in catalyst precursors was decomposed either by thermal calcination or glow discharge plasma treatment. The effects of plasma treatment and CeO2 morphologies on the catalytic performance of glycerol steam reforming were investigated. Characterization and catalytic results showed that Ni/rCeO2-P catalyst, supporting on CeO2 nanorods and treated by glow discharge plasma, had higher nickel dispersion, higher nickel reducibility, more acid sites as well as more amounts of surface oxygen vacancies and Ce3+. These features were beneficial for the formation of more active Ni0 sites, the stabilization of nickel particles from sintering, and hindering the coke deposition during reaction. This catalyst thus showed the best catalytic performance in glycerol steam reforming reaction, including high activity, high selectivity to hydrogen, and good stability in 8 h of reaction.