Abstract: Nickel-based catalyst supported on BaTiO₃ possesses higher initial activity for carbon dioxide reforming of methane. However, the specific surface area of the BaTiO₃ support is too small, and this restricts its application as a catalyst support. A BaTiO₃-BaAl₂O₄-Al₂O₃ composite support was prepared by the sol-gel method using hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide as the structure template. The BaTiO₃-BaAl₂O₄-Al₂O₃ composite was characterized by X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, N₂ adsorption-desorption, transmission electron microscopy, and H₂ temperature-programmed reduction. The catalytic performance of the Ni/BaTiO₃-BaAl₂O₄-Al₂O₃ catalyst was investigated by CO₂ reforming of CH₄. The results showed that the BaTiO₃-BaAl₂O₄-Al₂O₃ composite support owns a porous texture and high specific surface area, the BaTiO₃ and BaAl₂O₄ phases, whose crystalline size is in the range of 20–50 nm, exist on the inside and outside surface of the composite support in the form of crystalline particles. The size of micropores of the composite support is 10–20 nm, The presence of both BaTiO₃ and BaAl₂O₄ phases on the surface of the composite support weakens the strong interaction between the nickel species and γ-Al₂O₃ of the Ni/BaTiO₃-BaAl₂O₄-Al₂O₃ catalyst, and the possibility of the formation of NiAl₂O₄ spinel is decreased. The Ni/BaTiO₃-BaAl₂O₄-Al₂O₃ catalyst with 17.33% Ba content shows the highest activity and excellent stability for CH₄ reforming with CO₂ to synthesis gas.

Key words: barium titanate, barium aluminate, γ-alumina, composite support, nickel-based catalyst, methane, reforming, carbon dioxide