A mixed gas of carbon monoxide and hydrogen is known as a raw material for various chemical products such as synthetic gasoline and alcohol.
Methane dry reforming (DRM), which synthesizes this from methane and carbon dioxide, which are the main components of natural gas and the main greenhouse gases, has been attracting attention in recent years from the viewpoint of effective use of natural gas and suppression of global warming. It's one of the reactions.However, particularly noticeable caulking (sooting as a by-product) at low temperatures (less than 600 degrees Celsius) can lead to embolization of the device, and current DRM must be done under high temperature conditions above 800 degrees Celsius. However, it has not been put into practical use due to the problem of fuel consumption.
Under these circumstances, the group of National Institute for Materials Science, Kochi University of Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology and others has excellent low temperature activity and longevity for DRM by controlling the topology (topological geometric entanglement) of the nanophase separated structure. We have created a catalytic material that exhibits longevity characteristics.
This catalyst, which has a special topology in which a nanofibrous nickel metal phase and an yttria oxide phase are intertwined with each other like a braid, was named "rooting catalyst" Ni # Y203 (nickel hashtag yttria). ..Since nickel is deeply rooted inside yttrium oxide, migration (a phenomenon in which particles circulate over a wide area due to heating or electric field application) does not occur, which suppresses caulking, which was difficult with conventional materials. Stable DRM drive for a long time (500 hours or more) was realized in the low temperature region (less than 1000 degrees).
With the expansion of the market for non-conventional fossil fuels such as shale gas and the economic growth of emerging countries, greenhouse gas emissions are expected to continue, and global climate change is expected to intensify.On the other hand, the developed catalyst can exert a great deterrent and is expected to be a breakthrough for effective use of natural gas and reduction of greenhouse gases.
Paper information:[Chemical Science] Topologically Immobilized Catalysis Center for Long-term Stable Carbon Dioxide Reforming of Methane
