Sol-gel synthesis of nanocrystalline MgO and its application as support in Ni/MgO catalysts for ethanol steam reforming

[Display omitted] •Catalytic properties of nanocrystalline magnesium oxide, prepared with surfactant and impregnated with nickel was verified.•High catalytic activity was found for these samples due to small nickel particles.•High catalytic stability was observed in these samples.•Surface defects allowed less poisoning coke formation. This work reports the improved catalytic activity of nickel catalysts supported on nanocrystalline magnesium oxide prepared by a sol–gel method, using Pluronic P123 as a structure-directing agent for pore formation. The presence of Pluronic also provided a reduction of the magnesium oxide crystallite size from 54 to 18 nm, as well as the attainment of small supported metallic nickel particles. In situ X-ray diffraction was used to assess the structural evolution of the materials during activation, followed by X-ray absorption spectroscopy, N2 physisorption isotherms, transmission electron microscopy, and temperature-programmed CO2 desorption. The materials synthesized with the surfactant presented heightened activity in the ethanol steam reforming reaction. The long-term stability of the catalysts was improved, due to the decrease the coke formation, with the catalyst prepared using surfactant developing less deactivating coke.