Clean Hydrogen Production via Methane Cracking Over Ni Supported on Ceria-silica Catalysts

At 550 °C and atmospheric pressure, clean hydrogen was produced through CH4 cracking on a ceria modified silica supported Ni catalyst. A high proportion of Ni surface area on 20Ni/2wt%CeO2-SiO2demonstratedbetter H2 yields. The graphitic nature of the deactivated catalyst was established by TEM, XRD analyses and the distinction between ordered and disordered carbon was established by Raman spectroscopy. The high H2 yields produced by 20Ni/2wt%CeO2-SiO2catalyst was explained due to high nickel dispersion and an improved surface area of the nickel as assessed by H2 pulse chemisorption.