Nanoshaped CeO₂ and SiO₂ Supported Ru Catalyst for Plasma Catalysis Chemical Looping Reactions

Chemical Looping Reaction is a key strategy to achieve both emission reduction and carbon utilization while producing various value-added chemicals, through redox reactions. Here we study the effect of nanoshape ceria supported Ru catalysts for plasma assisted Chemical Looping Reforming reduction step coupled with water splitting oxidation step reactions in the temperature range 150°C to 400°C at 1 atm pressure. The oxygen carrier/catalyst combination materials used are Ru/CeO₂ nanorods (NR), Ru/CeO₂ nanocubes (NC), Ru/SiO₂ nanospheres (NS), and Ni-based perovskite mixed with CeO₂. NRs and NCs showed the best catalytic performance followed by Ni-based perovskite and NS. Differences in the selectivity and reactivity for the NRs and NCs were noticed. The NCs showed slightly higher selectivity towards H₂ formation during reduction step and lesser carbon deposition. From the analysis of data and literature, it is proposed that the spillover of species such as H adatoms and CHx radicals after activation at Ru sites into the CeO₂ supports and lattice O mobility may be slightly faster in the case of NCs. During the oxidation step, the NR and NC materials showed increased H₂ production by a factor of more than 4 when compared to Ni based perovskite material