Partial Oxidation of Methane to Syngas on Rh/Al2O3 and Rh/Ce-ZrO2 Catalysts

The partial oxidation of methane with gamma-Al2O3-, CeO2-, ZrO2- and Ce-ZrO2- supported rhodium catalysts was investigated. DRIFTS (diffuse reflectance infrared spectroscopy) measurements of adsorbed CO showed the formation of different rhodium species on different supports, which influenced the dispersion of the metal. The effects of the metal dispersion, oxygen storage capacity on the activity of these catalysts for the partial oxidation of methane are discussed.