Nickel-rhodium based catalysts and process for preparing synthesis gas

摘要

A nickel-rhodium alloy based catalyst for catalyzing the production of synthesis gas from a light hydrocarbon and O2 by a net catalytic partial oxidation process is disclosed. Preferred nickel-rhodium alloy based catalysts comprise about 1-50 weight percent nickel and about 0.01-10 weight percent rhodium on a porous refractory support structure. In certain embodiments, the catalyst also contains a lanthanide element, zirconium, cobalt, manganese or magnesium.