Determination of Reactive Species for Alumina-Supported Molybdenum Carbide Catalysts for Methane Reforming Using Temperature-Programmed Reaction Methods

The activities and surface properties of alumina-supported molybdenum carbide catalysts used in methane reforming were studied. Hydrogen, ethane, ethylene, and benzene were detected as the main products. The addition of oxygen effectively regenerated the catalyst. Temperature-programmed reaction (TPR) experiments revealed that the surface molybdenum carbide species changes from β-Mo 2 C to η-Mo 3 C 2 . The addition of CO 2 to the feedstream reduced the formation of graphitic carbon on the catalyst surface, increasing the catalyst lifetime for benzene formation.