Carbon-based catalysts for methane dry reforming: Advances, challenges, and prospects

Dry reforming of methane (DRM) is a promising catalytic process that converts two major greenhouse gases—methane (CH₄), and carbon dioxide (CO₂)—into syngas with a near-unity H₂/CO ratio, offering both environmental and economic benefits. As a key technology in China's "dual carbon" strategy, DRM faces challenges from catalyst deactivation due to coking and sintering of active metal sites. Carbon-based materials are promising supports for DRM catalysts due to their high surface area, porous structure, and corrosion resistance. These materials help prevent sintering by dispersing active metal nanoparticles, while their surface electronic effects enhance CH₄ activation and reduce carbon deposition. This review discusses the structural and physicochemical properties of various carbon materials—such as activated carbon, carbon nanotubes, biochar, graphene, and hydrochar—and their roles in DRM. It also covers strategies for metal loading, support modifications (e.g., heteroatom doping and defect engineering), composite synergies, and the influence of preparation methods like microwave-assisted synthesis and solid-state techniques on catalyst performance. Finally, it addresses key challenges such as high-temperature stability and long-term coke resistance, offering insights and future directions for advancing carbon-based catalysts in DRM applications.