Sorbent‐Enhanced Steam Methane Reforming Reaction Studied over a Ca‐Based CO₂ Sorbent and Ni Catalyst

The sorption‐enhanced steam methane reforming (SE‐SMR) reaction using a mixture of a Ni‐hydrotalcite‐derived catalyst synthesized via coprecipitation and Ca‐based sorbents synthesized by the sol‐gel technique was investigated. The materials were characterized by X‐ray diffraction, N 2 physisorption, and scanning electron microscopy. Under SE‐SMR conditions, the mole fraction of hydrogen in the effluent stream was 0.99 in the pre‐breakthrough stage (dry and without inert component), thus reaching thermodynamic equilibrium. The stability of the synthetic Ca‐based material was attributed to the formation of a finely and homogeneously dispersed high Tammann temperature support which stabilized its nanostructured morphology.