Microwave-activated carbon dioxide reforming of propane over Ni/TiO2 catalysts

Abstract

The use of microwave activation in Ni/TiO₂-catalyzed carbon dioxide reforming of propane increases the catalytic activity and significantly reduces the coke formation in comparison with conventional thermal heating. During microwave activated reaction, C₂—C₃ olefins were formed, apart from CO and H₂, and the selectivity to olefins reached 6%. It was suggested that exposure to microwave radiation may induce local high-temperature heating of catalytically active phases and catalyst sites, which is not inherent in conventional heating. According to X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS = XANES + EXAFS), unlike conventional thermal heating in a hydrogen flow, on exposure to microwave radiation, the Ni²⁺ cations are partly reduced to Ni⁰.