Abstract: The reduction mechanism of the Ni/Al₂O₃ catalyst reduced by atmospheric pressure cold plasma jet was analyzed by theoretical calculation and experiments. First, the dissociation degree of hydrogen and reduction time required were theoretically estimated according to the collision model based on the idea of catalyst reduction by hydrogen atoms. Second, X-ray diffraction and activity measurement were used to test the catalyst reduced by 90% Ar-10% H₂ cold plasma jet, which clearly exhibited the practical reduction process and reduction time. The reduction time obtained by theoretical calculation was much consistent with the experiment result.

Key words: atmospheric pressure, cold plasma jet, alumina, nickle-based catalyst, methane, carbon dioxide, reforming, reduction mechanism