Environmental footprint of fresh and recycled catalyst production for methane dry reforming

The paper presents an environmental analysis of the production process for a reconditioned catalyst for dry reforming of methane (DRM). This nickel-based catalyst was developed by reformulating a spent catalyst used for carbon monoxide oxidation. The environmental impact of its manufacture was compared with that of a catalyst made from raw materials with the same composition. The life cycle assessment (LCA) showed that the valorization pathway achieved impact reductions in 11 out of 16 categories. Within the adopted system boundaries, limited to catalyst production, the aggregated environmental impacts were reduced by 94% compared to primary production. The catalyst preparation was the main hotspot, driven by nickel precursors (58%) and energy consumption (22%). Sensitivity analysis showed that variations in the electricity mix influences climate change outcomes, while differences in aggregated environmental scores remain limited. These results demonstrate the potential of secondary production as a sustainable and resource-efficient pathway for catalyst manufacturing.