Carbon Formation On Pyrochlore Catalysts Under Partial Oxidation of Liquid Hydrocarbons

Reforming hydrocarbon fuels to produce synthesis gas inevitably involves the formation of carbon. This carbon formation leads to deactivation and is especially problematic for reforming diesel-like fuels under dry oxidation conditions. Rh-substituted pyrochlores (Rh-PC) have high thermal stability and resistance to carbon formation under partial oxidation (POX) conditions with diesel fuel. PC surface properties can be modified through various A- and B-site substitutions; therefore, studying carbon formation on different surface sites could provide insight for catalyst optimization by identifying and promoting the most carbon-resistant surfaces. In this work we report a systematic study of the carbon formation on Rh-PC catalysts with various formulas and surface properties by characterizing the carbon formed in the catalyst bed after varying times on stream in the catalytic POX of a surrogate diesel fuel.