TAP (Temporal Analysis of Products) studies of the catalytic conversion of biogas to syngas over Ni/SiO₂ catalysts

TAP reactor, a unique transient technique, was used to study the mechanism of the conversion of biogas to syngas over a newly-developed Ni/SiO₂ mesoporous catalyst. Single-pulse, alternating pulse, and multipulse TAP experiments were performed at increasing temperatures, from RT to 600°C. Important conclusions about diffusion within the mesoporous catalyst, adsorption of reactant species at the surface of the catalyst, reaction and desorption of reaction products along with the type and lifetime of the intermediate species involved, were achievable through a qualitative and semiquantitative analysis of the experimental TAP data. These findings will be used to propose an optimal catalysts' formulation for the dry reforming reaction of methane with carbon dioxide.