Effect of Promoters on Steam Reforming of Toluene over a Ni-Based Catalyst Supported on Coal Gangue Ash

[Image: see text] The exploration of high-value-added materials using inorganic solid waste is a very important contribution to sustainable development. Coal gangue ash (CGA) as a solid waste was chosen as catalyst support. Five low-cost catalysts modified by different promoters (Co, Ce, Fe, Mn, and Mo) were prepared using a co-impregnation method. The toluene steam reforming tests were carried out at 800 °C under S/C = 2 (steam-to-carbon mole ratio). Catalyst characteristics were evaluated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) method, temperature-programmed reduction (TPR), and Raman spectroscopy. The results showed that most promoters could interact with a Ni active compound and enhance the toluene conversion and H(2) yield. The Mo-Ni/CGA-1d (1d means the acid pretreatment time) catalyst performed the best catalytic activity, and corresponding toluene conversion and H(2) yield was equal to 92.6 and 62.3%, respectively, and it should be due to the formation of Mo-Ni alloy. Meanwhile, the Mo-Ni/CGA-1d catalyst exhibited higher stability during the runtime of 300 min compared with the Mn-Ni/CGA-1d catalyst, which can be attributed to the formation of the Mo(2)C structure with high-carbon-resistance ability. This is perhaps because the dissociation of CO(2) or H(2)O on the Mo(2)C structure surface is beneficial to the production of free oxygen species, which can accelerate the removal of carbon deposition on the catalyst surface.