Effect of the ruthenium loading and barium addition on the activity of ruthenium/carbon catalysts in carbon monoxide methanation

A group of supported ruthenium catalysts was prepared and tested in methanation of small CO amounts (7000 ppm) in hydrogen-rich streams. High surface area graphitized carbon (484 m²/g) was used as a support for ruthenium and RuCl₃ was used as a Ru precursor. Some of the Ru/C systems were additionally doped with barium (Ba(NO₃)₂ was barium precursor). The catalysts were characterized by the chemisorption technique using CO as an adsorbate. To determine the resistance of the catalysts to undesired carbon support methanation, the TG-MS experiments were performed. They revealed that the barium addition inhibits support losses. The studies of CO methanation (fl ow reactor, atmospheric pressure) have shown that some of the supported ruthenium catalysts exhibit high activities referred to the metal mass. The catalytic properties of ruthenium proved to be dependent on metal dispersion. Some of the Ru/C and Ba-Ru/C systems exhibit higher activity in CO hydrogenation than the commercial nickel-based catalyst.