Kinetic Analysis of Nonisothermal Reduction of Silica-Supported Nickel Catalyst Precursors in a Hydrogen Atmosphere

Abstract

A series of silica-supported nickel catalyst precursors was synthesized with different SiO2/Ni molar ratios. Reduction of Ni catalyst precursors with different SiO2/Ni molar ratios under a hydrogen atmosphere was investigated at different heating rates. Kinetic parameters were determined using Kissinger-Akahira-Sunose isoconversional and invariant kinetic parameter methods. It was found that for all molar ratios, the apparent activation energy (E-a) is practically constant in the conversion range of 0.20 LT = alpha LT = 0.80. In the considered conversion range, following values of E-a were found: 134.5 kJ mol(-1) (SiO2/Ni = 0.20), 139.6 kJ mol(-1) (SiO2 /Ni = 0.80), and 128.3 kJ mol(-1) (SiO2/Ni = 1.15). It was established that the reduction of Ni catalyst precursors with different SiO2/Ni molar ratios is a complex process and can be described by the Sestak-Berggren autocatalytic model. It was found that the reaction is more Langmuir-Hinshelwood type, as hydrogen dissociates rapidly on surface nuclei and the dissociated hydrogen reacts with the Ni-O active system. It was concluded that the reduction process proceeds through bulk nucleation, which is a dominant mechanism, where three-dimensional growth of crystals with polyhedron-like morphology exists. It was found that the Ni/Si ratio decreases after the reduction process. This has been explained by low Ni and higher Si surface concentrations. It has been disclosed that Ni dispersion decreases.