Deactivation of Ni catalyst in three-phase CO 2 methanation

In three-phase CO2 methanation dibenzyl toluene is used as the liquid phase in a slurry bubble column
reactor. At reactor temperatures (TR) higher than 260 °C deactivation of the Ni/SiO2 catalyst was observed.
After deactivation for 120 h at TR = 320 °C, stationary operation is possible with a loss of catalytic activity
of ≈50%. Based on experimental results, it can be stated that deactivation is caused by decomposition of
dibenzyl toluene at high reactor temperature, resulting in carbon deposition on the catalyst surface.