Catalytic System of Y-Modified 15Fe–10Ni/Al2O3 Catalysts Used for Dry Reforming of the Tar Model Compound to Syngas

The development of tar dry reforming catalyst systems with superior catalytic performance was essential to address how biomass could be efficiently converted to biomass energy. Therefore, a series of xY–15Fe–10Ni/Al2O3 (x = 0, 1, 3, and 5) catalysts with great catalytic activity were prepared by the impregnation method for the dry reforming of the tar model compound (xylene) to syngas at a low temperature (550 °C) in this study. The incorporation of Y (Yttrium) promoted the interaction of Ni, Fe with the support γ-Al2O3 while reducing the size of nanoparticles (AlNi3, FeAl2O4, etc.) on the catalysts surface. 3Y–15Fe–10Ni/Al2O3 offered the smallest nanoparticle size (16.78 nm) and the strongest interactions of Ni, Fe with the support so that it strikingly displayed the best catalytic activity in the reaction, and the conversions of xylene and CO2 reached 99.94% and 67.35%, respectively. Additionally, the addition of Y increased the dispersion of the nanoparticles and suppressed the formation of amorphous carbon. The deposited carbon of the active catalysts was even more abundant in the form of filamentary carbon, in which the filamentary carbon on the surface of 3Y–15Fe–10Ni/Al2O3 accounted for 48.43% of the total deposited carbon. Therefore, the xY–15Fe–10Ni/Al2O3 catalysts are noteworthy as a high-performance catalytic system for the catalytic reforming of tar or mixed tar model compounds to produce synthesis gas. This significance arises from the the existence of nanoparticles with the alloy or spinel structure and small particle sizes on their surfaces, which was attached great importance.