Dry Reforming of Methane over Nanosized Tungsten Carbide Powders Obtained by Mechanochemical and Plasma-Mechanochemical Methods

The catalytic activity of tungsten carbide WC and a mixture of tungsten carbides (WC + W2C) obtained by mechanochemical and plasma-mechanochemical methods in the reaction of dry reforming of methane at a pressure of 650 Torr, the ratio CH4 : CO2 = 1 : 1 in the temperature range of 400–960°C was studied. It was shown that the nanopowder of tungsten carbide, with an average particle size of 40 nm, produced by plasma-mechanochemical method, has a higher catalytic activity in the reaction of dry reforming of methane than the catalyst prepared by mechanochemical method. It was also established that with a decrease in the average particle size from 40 to 18 nm, the activity of the catalyst based on WС, obtained by the plasma-mechanochemical method increases and at 950°C the conversion of methane reaches 55%.