In
the context of current energy and environmental crises, dry
reforming of methane (DRM) is an important reaction. While non-noble
metal catalysts are highly promising for real-world DRM applications,
they often suffer from deactivation due to sintering and carbon deposition.
In this study, ultrafine bimetallic NiCo nanoparticles encapsulated
in silicalite-2 (S-2) were prepared via an in situ growth method. Density functional theory in combination with microkinetic
modeling was used to understand the influence of the alloy on reaction
kinetics and the resistance to carbon deposition. Elemental segregation
was observed during the activation stage, wherein the Ni and Co atoms
migrated toward the outer surface and center of the NiCo alloy, respectively.
Subsequently, the Ni0.2Co0.3@S-2 catalyst prepared
using the optimized Ni/Co ratio showed stable and high CH4 and CO2 conversions for 100 h with no carbon deposition.
The confinement effect together with precisely balancing the carbon
and oxygen content on the surface of the catalyst contributed to its
high catalyst performance. This work is expected to provide relevant
guidance for studying the evolution of catalyst structures via material
dynamics elucidation.
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