Oxidative reforming of n-butane triggered by spontaneous oxidation of CeO_2-x at ambient temperature

An oxidative reforming (OR) of n-Butane that was triggered at ambient temperature through the heat produced by the spontaneous oxidation of the CeO_2-x catalytic support in a Rh/CeO₂ catalust was investigated. The catayst was reduced in a hydrogen atmosphere at 873 K and the OR of a gas mixture containing C₄H₁₀ was then triggred in the presence of the catalyst at ambient temperature. These test were performed under quasi-adiabatic conditions. It was investigated that OR could not be triggred at ambient temperature with RH/Al₂O₃ reduced at 673, 873, 1073 K, or with Rh/CeO₂ reduced at 673 k. The result indicate that the heat produced by the oxidation of metalli Rh was insufficient to initiate the combustion and subsequent reforming of C₄H ₁₀ at ambient temperature.