Journal of Advanced Chemical Engineering

Reforming of toluene with bimetallic catalysts supported on alumina and synthesized by an aqueous sol-gel process

2^nd International Conference on Advances in Chemical Engineering and Technology

November 16-17, 2017 | Paris, France

Stephanie D Lambert, Claire Courson, Vincent Claude and Cédric Wolfs

University of Liege, Belgium
University of Strasbourg, France

Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Adv Chem Eng

Abstract:

The thermochemical method called �??biomass gasification�?� is generating emphatic interest for the production of bio-Syngas (CO+H2) since this process presents the advantage of being renewable without emitting CO2. However, in practical applications, there are still some technical problems due to high concentration of tars in the outlet gas, which can condensate and clog the pipes. Previous studies have highlighted the fact that the tar elimination via catalytic reforming seem to be the more practical and economical solution. Catalysts were synthesized by an aqueous sol-gel process to develop γ-Al2O3 doped with 10wt.% of nickel and 2 wt.% of a second dopant (Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo). Before their adding in AlOOH sol, metallic dopants were complexed with (OCH3)3-Si-(CH2)3-NH-(CH2)2-NH2 (EDAS) to increase their dispersion by cogelation between EDAS and AlOOH clusters. All the samples were tested for toluene reforming: 31 vol.% CO, 31 vol.% H2, 15,5 vol.% CO2, 11 vol.% H2O, 9 vol.% CH4 and 24.000 ppm of toluene. The total flowrate was equal to 50 mL min-1. The temperature was set at 650°C for 300 min. No previous reduction step has been realized. Each 15 min, injection was sent to a GC Compac for analysis.Figure 1 presents the toluene conversion as a function of benzene selectivity and as a function of carbon deposit after catalytic test for all the samples. For samples Al2O3-10Ni-2Mn and Al2O3-10Ni-2Mo, the addition of Mn or Mo allows increasing the toluene conversion up to 60%, whereas all other samples present lower toluene conversion (around 30%). Taking into account the benzene selectivity, it is observed that Mn and Mo are both elements that favor the degradation of aromatic groups. In term of carbon deposit during catalytic test, sample Al2O3-10Ni-2Mn is the most interesting doping since only 0.04 gcarbon gcata-1 is depicted by TG-DSC measurement after catalytic test.

Biography :

Stephanie D. Lambert (SL) is a FRS-FNRS research associate and an associate professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering (DCE) of the University of Liege (Belgium) since 2009. She obtained her Ph.D. in Applied Sciences in 2003. After an engineer position in a Belgian chemical company (Nanocyl) (2004�?�2005), and two postdoctoral stays at the DCE of the University of Illinois at Chicago in 2006, and at the Institute Charles Gerhardt in Montpellier in 2007, she joined the team “Nanomaterials, Catalysis, Electrochemistry” of the University of Liege, in which she develops heterogeneous catalysts for sustainable chemistry (tars reforming, treatments of chlorinated compounds, photocatalysis,..). She is vice-chair of the DCE since early 2016. SL has published over 75 publications, 12 book chapters, holds 1 patent and has an h index of 18. She also received 14 Invited lectures. She is Member of Local Organizing Committee of SOL-GEL 2017, 3-8 September 2017, Liege, Belgium.