Synergistic Effect of Physicochemical Properties of Ni Nanofibrous Catalysts on Catalytic Performance for Methane Partial Oxidation

For supported catalysts, the synergistic effect of physicochemical properties (including oxygen storage capacity (OSC), metal–support interaction, dispersion, and reducibility) is crucial for methane partial oxidation (POM). This study aims to prepare Ni-based nanofibrous catalysts using traditional metal oxides (Al₂O₃, ZrO₂, CeO₂, Zr_0.92(Y₂O₃)_0.08O_2−δ, and Ce_0.9Gd_0.1O_2−δ) as supports via electrospinning, and thoroughly investigates the synergistic effect of the catalyst’s physicochemical properties on catalytic performance. For the Ni/Zr_0.92(Y₂O₃)_0.08O_2−δ and Ni/Ce_0.9Gd_0.1O_2−δ catalysts, doping significantly enhances Ni dispersion, reducibility, and OSC, thereby improving catalytic performance. The results demonstrate that the catalytic activity follows the following order: Ni/Ce_0.9Gd_0.1O_2−δ > Ni/CeO₂ > Ni/Zr_0.92(Y₂O₃)_0.08O_2−δ > Ni/ZrO₂ > Ni/Al₂O₃, which is closely associated with the synergistic effect of their physicochemical properties. In addition, this study focuses on elucidating the underlying mechanism by which the Gd³⁺ doping level influences the catalytic performance of the Ni/Ce_0.9Gd_xO_2−δ (x = 0.1, 0.2, 0.3) catalysts. The Ni/Ce_0.9Gd_0.1O_2−δ catalyst exhibits the optimal Ni dispersion, reducibility, and OSC, corresponding to the highest catalytic performance. This re-emphasizes the crucial role of the synergistic effect of the catalyst’s physicochemical properties in determining catalytic performance. Therefore, investigating this synergistic effect is essential for achieving superior catalytic performance.