A highly active and cost-effective tungsten modified Ni-based catalyst for the production of hydrogen via methane dry reforming

Catalyst community requires a low-cost, high-performance catalyst immediately for cost-effective H2 production through dry reforming of methane. Herein, cost-effective 1–9 wt% tungsten oxide-alumina supported Ni catalysts were prepared, examined and characterized by x-ray diffraction, 27Al solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, high resolution-transmission electron microscopy and temperature programmed experiments. On 5.0 wt% W incorporation; minimum crystallinity, additional CO2-surface interacting species, maximum oxygen replenishment capacity by CO2, thermally retainable coordinated Al sites and minimum % weight loss pivot optimum hydrogen production 77% H2 yield, minimum deactivation factor −0.9, and maximum rate of hydrogen formation of 1.1301 molH2gcat−1h−1 at 440-min time-on-stream. [Display omitted] •0–9%W-Al2O3 supported Ni catalyst is characterized by XRD, Al solid state NMR, XPS.•Catalyst system has wide range of WOx-n species, W-O-Al linkage and NiAl2O4 phase.•Upon 5%W, lowest crystallinity and tetrahedral coordinated Al sites are retained.•It has extra CO2-surface interacting species & maximum oxygen replenishment by CO2.•5Ni5WAl showed optimum 77% H2 yield during 420-min time on stream.