B18: Investigation of a Novel Pyrolyzed PDMS/Ni Catalyst for Dry Reforming of Methane (DRM)

The release of methane and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere is an issue that continues to plague society due to high usage of fossil fuels and expanding landfills. In an effort to combat the levels of CO2 and CH4 accumulating, chemical engineers have turned to the dry reformation of methane to produce syngas (H2 and CO), an inexpensive product with higher energy value and the potential to be converted to liquid fuels. This project assesses how the novel properties of a pyrolyzed polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) support material influence the catalytic performance of Nickel in the dry reformation of methane (DRM). Pyrolyzed PDMS catalysts with different loadings of Nickel were created and characterized to understand the molecular structure, surface area, porosity, and dispersion of Nickel throughout the catalysts. Gas chromatography was used to measure the productivity of each catalyst, where the 10% Nickel loading was found to be most productive. Further studies were completed by varying temperature and reactant ratio to understand the interplay of side reactions within DRM as well as carbon deposition on the used catalyst from these reactions. Resulting conversion rates, selectivities, H2/CO ratio, and turnover frequencies were competitive with other Nickel catalysts in literature. Moving forward, data will be consolidated and published to contribute a novel, successful Nickel catalyst to DRM literature and guide future advancements in this field. Personally, this project provides the opportunity to independently employ the scientific method to test a hypothesis and present findings to an educated audience to receive feedback. The process of analyzing real data, troubleshooting unexpected issues, and adapting feedback is conducive to an anticipated career in industrial research and development.

Author(s): Rachel Olp, Chemical Engineering and Energy Major

Advisor(s): Catherine Almquist, Department of Chemical, Paper, and Biomedical Engineering

Keith Hohn, Department of Chemical, Paper, and Biomedical Engineering