Steam Reforming of Liquid Hydrocarbon Boosted by a High-Performance and Durable Ni/NiAl₂O₄/Al₂O₃ Catalyst

Integrating SOFC with liquid hydrocarbon fuel reforming for hydrogen production is crucial for SOFC industrialization and achieving low-carbon goals, which calls for efficient reforming catalysts. In this study, a Ni/NiAl₂O₄/Al₂O₃ structured reforming catalyst is designed, and the impact of various preparation and reduction temperatures on the catalyst is investigated. The testing results revealed that the catalyst calcined at 1000 °C exhibited optimal catalytic activity when reduced at 600 °C while demonstrating exceptional resistance to carbon deposition at a reduction temperature of 750 °C. Additionally, compared to supported catalysts calcined at lower temperatures, spinel catalysts exhibit significantly enhanced stability and can operate stably for 200 h under the conditions of 10 mL/g·h, S/C = 2.5, and 750 °C, showing no signs of deactivation. The catalyst was characterized through combined XRD and SEM analysis, revealing that the enhancement in catalytic activity and resistance to carbon deposition is primarily attributed to the defective spinel structure and the smaller Ni particles. Meanwhile, the stability is related to the strong metal-support interaction facilitated by the spinel structure, which provides valuable insights and directions for the design of highly stable catalysts.