Distance between Ni and Ca in Ni-Ce-Ca@ZrO2 for ICCU-DRM

Ni-Ca based dual functional materials have two key components, including Ni catalytic sites and CaO adsorption sites. The distance between these two is important in terms of the ICCU-DRM performance. The authors (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apcatb.2020.119734) compared the physical mixture of NiCe/Zr (catalyst) and Ca@Zr (adsorbent) with one-unit NiCe/Ca@Zr. The physical mixture showed lower CO₂ capture capacity during the carbon capture stage, and higher CH₄ conversion during the utilisation stage. Therefore, methane decomposition was dominant during CO₂ utilisation stage for the physical mixture with severe carbon deposition (indicated in the following figure C). Therefore, the one-unit dual functional materials enhanced CO₂ capture and reduced coke deposition during the ICCU-DRM process.

“FESEM images of (A) the fresh Ca@Zr sorbent, (B) the Ca@Zr after 10 cycles of isothermal CO₂ capture and release, and (C) the mixture of NiCe/Zr and Ca@Zr after 25 cycles of CaLDRM.” (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apcatb.2020.119734)