Structure–function relationship for CO2 methanation over ceria supported Rh and Ni catalysts under atmospheric pressure conditions

In situ structural and chemical state characterization of Rh/CeO2 and Ni/CeO2 catalysts during atmospheric pressure CO2 methanation has been performed by a combined array of time-resolved analytical techniques including ambient-pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, high-energy X-ray diffraction and diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy. The ceria phase is partially reduced during the CO2 methanation and in particular Ce3+ species seem to facilitate activation of CO2 molecules. The activated CO2 molecules then react with atomic hydrogen provided from H2 dissociation on Rh and Ni sites to form formate species. For the most active catalyst (Rh/CeO2), transmission electron microscopy measurements show that the Rh nanoparticles are small (average 4 nm, but with a long tail towards smaller particles) due to a strong interaction between Rh particles and the ceria phase. In contrast, larger nanoparticles were observed for the Ni/CeO2 catalyst (average 6 nm, with no crystallites below 5 nm found), suggesting a weaker interaction with the ceria phase. The higher selectivity towards methane of Rh/CeO2 is proposed to be due to the stronger metal–support interaction.