Ni-Mo Sulfide Semiconductor Catalyst with High Catalytic Activity for One-Step Conversion of CO2 and H2S to Syngas in Non-Thermal Plasma

Abstract

Carbon dioxide (CO2) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) ordinarily coexist in many industries, being considered as harmful waste gases. Simultaneously converting CO2 and H2S into syngas (a mixture of CO and H2) will be a promising economic strategy for enhancing their recycling value. Herein, a novel one-step conversion of CO2 and H2S to syngas induced by non-thermal plasma with the aid of Ni-Mo sulfide/Al2O3 catalyst under ambient conditions was designed. The as-synthesized catalysts were characterized by using XRD, nitrogen sorption, UV-vis, TEM, SEM, ICP, and XPS techniques. Ni-Mo sulfide/Al2O3 catalysts with various Ni/Mo molar ratios possessed significantly improved catalytic performances, compared to the single-component catalysts. Based on the modifications of the physical and chemical properties of the Ni-Mo sulfide/Al2O3 catalysts, the variations in catalytic activity are carefully discussed. In particular, among all the catalysts, the 5Ni-3Mo/Al2O3 catalyst exhibited the best catalytic behavior with high CO2 and H2S conversion at reasonably low-energy input in non-thermal plasma. This method provides an alternative route for syngas production with added environmental and economic benefits.