TAP INVESTIGATIONS OF THE CO2 REFORMING OF CH4 OVER PT ZRO2/

The adsorption and reaction characteristics of methane, carbon dioxide , carbon monoxide, and hydrogen have been investigated over a ZrO2 sup port and a Pt/ZrO2 catalyst by using a temporal analysis of products r eactor system. It was observed that on Pt/ZrO2 both methane and carbon dioxide dissociate independently of one another. The dissociation of carbon dioxide acts as an oxygen supplier, while the decomposition pro ducts of methane scavenge the oxygen from the catalyst. When an abunda nce of oxygen is present, pulsing of methane leads to the production o f carbon dioxide. It is concluded that both the selectivity with which methane produces carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide and the carbon dio xide conversion is determined by the same reaction: COads + O-ads doub le left right arrow CO2,ads. (C) 1997 Academic Press.