Investigation the effect of sol-gel method approach on microstructural of NiO/MgAl2O4 nanocatalysts applicable for steel industry: modified sol-gel method and sol-gel citrate

Nickel-based catalysts have been widely used in the important reaction for producing hydrogen and synthesis gas from methane reforming processes, which use for producing of steel. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the sol-gel method approach on the synthesis of NiO/MgAl2O4 nano catalysts through the modified sol-gel and sol-gel citrate methods. Powders are characterized using XRD, SEM-EDS, TEM, and BET-BJH. The results showed that the use of two different sol-gel approaches caused changes in microstructural properties. Nano catalysts prepared by the modified sol-gel method had smaller crystalline size, smaller particle size, larger porosity and larger specific surface area than the prepared nano catalysts by the sol-gel citrate method. The shape of the nano catalyst particles prepared by the two sol-gel methods was spherical, except that the shape and size of the particles were more homogeneous in the prepared nano catalyst by the modified sol-gel method.