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Supported Vanadium Carbide Catalysts for Reverse Water Gas Shift and Methanol Steam Reforming: Activity, Stability,
Arturo Pajares1, Sai Sharath Yadavalli2, Hector Prats2,3
1Materials & Chemistry, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO NV), Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium.
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
|November 21, 2025
Summary
Supported vanadium carbide (VCx) catalysts show promise for CO2 and methanol activation. VCx catalysts are more stable in the Reverse Water Gas Shift reaction than in Methanol Steam Reforming due to coke formation.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Catalysis
- Surface Chemistry
Background:
- Vanadium carbide (VCx) materials are explored for catalytic applications.
- Understanding catalyst behavior in CO2 and methanol conversion is crucial for sustainable chemistry.
Purpose of the Study:
- To prepare and characterize supported VCx catalysts.
- To evaluate their performance in the Reverse Water Gas Shift (RWGS) and Methanol Steam Reforming (MSR) reactions.
- To investigate the factors influencing catalyst stability and deactivation.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of VCx catalysts supported on various oxides (Al2O3, SiO2, CeO2, ZrO2, TiO2).
- Characterization using techniques to determine crystallite size and surface properties.
- Catalytic testing under RWGS and MSR conditions.
- Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations to elucidate reaction mechanisms and coke formation pathways.
Main Results:
- Supported VCx catalysts outperformed bulk VCx in both RWGS and MSR reactions.
- VCx/Al2O3 exhibited excellent performance and stability in the RWGS reaction.
- VCx/ZrO2 showed high methanol conversion in MSR, but suffered from significant deactivation due to coke formation.
- DFT calculations indicated facile methanol decomposition and coke formation on VCx surfaces, especially with carbon vacancies.
Conclusions:
- Supported VCx catalysts are effective for CO2 and methanol activation.
- Catalyst stability differs significantly between RWGS and MSR reactions, with MSR being more prone to coking.
- Surface structure and carbon vacancy concentration on VCx are critical factors controlling coke formation and catalyst deactivation.
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