CO₂ Activation over Nanoshaped CeO₂ Decorated with Nickel for Low-Temperature Methane Dry Reforming

Dry reforming of methane (DRM) is a promising way to convert methane and carbon dioxide into H 2 and CO (syngas). CeO 2 nanorods, nanocubes, and nanospheres were decorated with 1-4 wt % Ni. The materials were structurally characterized using TEM and in situ XANES/EXAFS. The CO 2 activation was analyzed by DFT and temperature-programmed techniques combined with MS-DRIFTS. Synthesized CeO 2 morphologies expose {111} and {100} terminating facets, varying the strength of the CO 2 interaction and redox properties, which influence the CO 2 activation. Temperature-programmed CO 2 DRIFTS analysis revealed that under hydrogen-lean conditions mono-and bidentate carbonates are hydrogenated to formate intermediates, which decompose to H 2 O and CO. In excess hydrogen, methane is the preferred reaction product. The CeO 2 cubes favor the formation of a polydentate carbonate species, which is an inert spectator during DRM at 500 C. Polydentate covers a considerable fraction of ceria's surface, resulting in less-abundant surface sites for CO 2 dissociation.