Preparation of a Ni/LaAlO3 catalyst and its application in catalytic pyrolysis of soybean straw for syngas production

Abstract

A LaAlO3 carrier was prepared via the sol-gel method, and a Ni/LaAlO3 catalyst was prepared via the homogeneous precipitation method; this catalyst was used for the catalytic pyrolysis of soybean straw for syngas (H2 + CO) production. The analysis of the raw materials (straw) was performed via elemental analysis and industrial analysis. The support and catalyst were characterized and analyzed by X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and N2 adsorption-desorption isotherms. The results illustrated that the NiO was uniformly loaded on the LaAlO3 surface. Furthermore, the effects of the Ni loading amount, pyrolysis temperature, holding time, and calcination temperature on the performance of the catalyst were studied. The results showed that the catalyst had the highest increase in production and concentration of H2 and CO when the Ni loading was 10 wt%, the calcination temperature was 500 °C, the reaction temperature was 800 °C, and the holding time was 20 min. Compared with the pyrolysis of straw without a catalyst, the yield of H2 and CO increased from 85 mL/g and 125 mL/g to 238.5 mL/g and 255 mL/g, respectively, and the concentration of H2 and CO increased from 23.5 vol% and 29.4 vol% to 43.1 vol% and 41.9 vol%, respectively.