Global energy demands are constantly increasing and fossil fuels are a finite resource. The shift towards alternative, more renewable and sustainable fuels is inevitable. Furthermore, the increased emissions of greenhouse gases have forced a pressing need to find cleaner, more environmentally friendly sources of fuel. Biomass energy is a promising alternative fuel because it offers several important advantages. It is a renewable energy form, it comes from many sources and produces biogas (CH4 and CO2). Furthermore, it can have a zero carbon footprint; this is due to the fact that the carbon produced is from the same carbon used to make the biomass. In addition, by replacing fossil fuels, the emissions of CH4 and CO2 (both greenhouse gases) is reduced. Biomass-derived syngas (H2 and CO) can be utilized as a feedstock for many important industrial processes such as methanol synthesis, ammonia synthesis and Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (FTS) to produce long chain hydrocarbon fuels. Municipal solid waste (MSW) biomass is considered as the source of the biomass for this dissertation work. MSW accounts for 20% of man-made methane emissions making it an attractive source for utilization. However, methane reforming to synthesis gas (H2 and CO) typically occurs at temperatures higher than 600°C making it economically challenging at the smaller scale of MSW conversion processes. This dissertation effort focused on formulating low precious metal loaded heterogeneous catalysts that can reform methane at low temperature (T<500°C) making the process more industrially viable. The effect of select contaminants (siloxanes) in the biogas on the reforming catalysts was studied through accelerated poisoning. Finally, the syngas ratio was improved by combining low temperature dry reforming with steam reforming (termed bi-reforming). The catalyst system used for this dissertation study was comprised of 1.34wt%Ni- 1.00wt%Mg on a Ceria-Zirconia oxide support (0.6:0.4 ratio respectively). The catalysts were doped with platinum (0-0.64% by mass) and compared to palladium doped catalysts (0-0.51% by mass). The ratio chosen for the support, Ce0.6Zr0.4, was determined to be the best ratio in terms of activity and surface area by previous studies done in this group [1]. Nickel has been widely studied as methane reforming catalyst [2-6]. Alone, nickel atoms are prone to carbon deposition especially during methane decomposition, however, coupling NiO with MgO helps to reduce carbon deposition by reducing agglomeration of Ni crystallites, thereby improving catalyst lifetime [2, 7]. Furthermore, addition of small amounts of noble metals such as Pt or Pd help to drive the reduction of the catalyst to lower temperatures and enhance catalytic activity. Different metal loadings of Pt and Pd were tested to determine the optimum catalyst that will reform methane at low temperatures, is resistant to deactivation and produces a high syngas ratio (~2:1) which is necessary for processes such as FTS. Preliminary results have shown that in general Pt is superior in this catalyst system for low temperature reforming of methane. It consistently had syngas ratios near the desired ratio compared to Pd, it did not deactivate with extended time on stream and overall had higher turnover frequencies. This catalyst system has potential to make industrial reforming of methane from biomass feedstock more economically viable.

In the present study, the behavior of La1-xCexNiO3 (x = 0; 0.05 and 0.10) perovskite-type oxides catalysts was investigated, acting as catalysts, in reactions of dry reforming of methane (DRM) and biogas reforming (BR). The catalysts were synthesized by sol-gel method (or citrate) and by combustion with urea. Later, they were structurally evaluated and studied on the catalytic performance. The synthesized perovskite-type oxides were characterized by X-ray diffraction, nitrogen adsorption temperature programmed reduction and thermal gravimetric analysis. The catalysts showed low values of specific area (< 10 m2 g-1). The LaNiO3 phase present in all the calcined samples was converted into La2O3, Ni0 and La(OH)3 after reduction, keeping the phase CeO2 in the doped samples with cerium. It was observed more evident La(OH)3 phase in the samples synthesized by combustion method. The average crystallite sizes, on the main stage LaNiO3, remained between 13 to 17 nm. La0,90Ce0,10NiO3 synthesized by combustion had the lowest average crystallite size whereas La0, 95Ce0,05NiO3 and La0,90Ce0,10NiO3 synthesized by sol-gel method has the highest value. The sol-gel method produced NiO grains (20-25 nm) smaller than those produced by the combustion method (31 - 38 nm). But for all samples is observed a decrease in average Ni0 grain sizes after reduction. In the samples synthesized by combustion method the mean Ni0 crystallite size were similar (20, 19 and 21 nm), whereas the values increased with Ce addition (13 21 nm) in the samples synthesized by sol-gel method. All samples with 1:9 dilution (catalyst/ inert SiC) were active, stable and resistant to deactivation by coke deposition after 24 h of DRM and BR reactions, but with molar ratio H2/CO < 1. The La0,90Ce0,10NiO3 catalyst synthesized by sol-gel method, with 1:1 dilution (catalyst/ inert SiC) showed the greatest resistance to the carbon formation (1,06 mg Carbon / gcat h). The catalysts synthesized by the combustion method, when 1:9 diluted, showed TOFCH4 values between 13 - 16 in the DRM and between 15 - 19 in BR, with molar ratio H2/CO next 1. The catalysts synthesized by combustion method, with 1:1 dilution (catalyst/inert SiC) were more active (TOFCH4 8 13 h-1) in BR reaction than the catalysts synthesized by sol-gel method (TOFCH4 3 4 h-1). The lower values for the stoichiometric H2/CO <1 indicate favoring the reverse reaction of water-gas shift in catalytic tests, supported by the fact that higher CO2 conversion in all reactions usin catalysts with 1:9 dilution. There was a molar ratio H2/CO increase in the RB, especially when used as the catalyst with 1:1 dilution (catalyst/inert SiC), indicating that reverse water-gas shift reaction is less favored when feed CH4: CO2 = 2 and using a larger amount of catalyst. / No presente trabalho, foi avaliado o comportamento de óxidos do tipo perovskitas La1-xCexNiO3 (x = 0; 0,05 e 0,10), atuando como catalisadores, frente às reações de reforma seca do metano (RSM) e reforma de biogás (RB). Os catalisadores foram sintetizados pelo método sol-gel (ou citrato) e pelo método de combustão com uréia. Posteriormente, foram avaliados estruturalmente e quanto ao seu desempenho catalítico. Os precursores catalíticos foram caracterizados por difração de raios X, medidas de área específica BET, redução a temperatura programada e análise termogravimétrica. Todos os catalisadores apresentaram baixos valores de área específica (< 10 m2 g-1). A fase principal LaNiO3, presente em todas as amostras calcinadas, foi convertida em La2O3, Ni0 e La(OH)3 após redução, sendo observada a fase CeO2 nas amostras dopadas com cério. A presença da fase La(OH)3 foi mais evidente nas amostras sintetizadas pelo método de combustão. Os tamanhos médios de cristalito, referentes à fase principal LaNiO3, se mantiveram entre 13 17 nm. A amostra La0,90Ce0,10NiO3 sintetizada pelo método de combustão apresentou o menor tamanho médio de cristalito enquanto que as amostras La0,95Ce0,05NiO3 e La0,90Ce0,10NiO3 sintetizadas pelo método sol-gel tem o maior valor. O método sol-gel produziu tamanhos médios de cristalito do NiO (20 25 nm) menores do que os produzidos pelo método de combustão (31 38 nm). Porém, para todas as amostras, é observada uma diminuição nos tamanhos médios de cristalito de Ni0 após a redução/passivação. Nas amostras sintetizadas pelo método de combustão os tamanhos médios de cristalito do Ni0 foram semelhantes (20, 19 e 21 nm), enquanto que nas amostras sintetizadas por sol-gel os valores cresceram com a adição de Ce (13 21 nm). Todas as amostras com diluição de 1:9 (catalisador/inerte SiC) foram ativas, estáveis e resistentes à desativação pela deposição de coque após as 24 h das reações RSM e RB, porém com razão molar H2/CO < 1. O catalisador La0,90Ce0,10NiO3 sintetizado pelo método sol-gel, com diluição 1:1 (catalisador/inerte SiC) apresentou a maior resistência à formação de carbono (1,06 mg Carbono / gcat h). Os catalisadores sintetizados pelo método de combustão, quando diluídos 1:9 (catalisador/inerte SiC), apresentaram valores de TOFCH4 entre 13 16 h-1 na RSM e entre 15 - 19 h-1 na RB com razões molares H2/CO próximas de 1. Os catalisadores sintetizados pelo método de combustão com diluição de 1:1 (catalisador/inerte SiC) se mostraram mais ativos (TOFCH4 8 13 h-1) na RB do que os catalisadores sintetizados pelo método sol-gel (TOFCH4 3 4 h-1). Os valores menores que o estequiométrico para H2/CO < 1 indicam o favorecimento da reação reversa de deslocamento gás-água nos testes catalíticos, fato suportado pela maior conversão de CO2 em todas as reações utilizando catalisadores com diluição 1:9. Na condição de RB houve um aumento da razão molar H2/CO, especialmente quando forma utilizados os catalisadores com diluição 1:1 (catalisador/inerte SiC), indicando que reação reversa de deslocamento gás-água é menos favorecida quando a razão de alimentação é de CH4:CO2 = 2 e utilizando uma maior quantidade de catalisador. / Mestre em Engenharia Química