Development of promotors for fast redox reaction of MgMnO3 oxygen carrier material in chemical looping combustion

MgO or gadolinium-doped ceria (GDC, $Ce_{0.9}Gd_{0.1}O_{2-{\delta}}$) was added as a promoter to improve the oxygen transfer kinetics of $MgMnO_3$ oxygen carrier material for chemical looping combustion. Neither MgO nor GDC reacted with $MgMnO_3$, even at the high temperature of $1100^{\circ}C$. The average oxygen transfer capacities of $MgMnO_3$, 5 wt% $MgO-MgMnO_3$, and 5 wt% $GDC-MgMnO_3$ were 8.74, 8.35, and 8.13 wt%, respectively. Although the addition of MgO or GDC decreased the oxygen transfer capacity, no further degradation was observed during their use in 5 redox cycles. The addition of GDC significantly improved the conversion rate for the reduction reaction of $MgMnO_3$ compared to the use of MgO due to an increase in the surface adsorption process of $CH_4$ via oxygen vacancies formed on the surface of GDC. On the other hand, the conversion rates for the oxidation reaction followed the order 5 wt% $GDC-MgMnO_3$ > 5 wt% $MgO-MgMnO_3$ >> $MgMnO_3$ due to morphological change. MgO or GDC particles suppressed the grain growth of the reduced $MgMnO_3$ (i.e., (Mg,Mn)O) and increased the specific surface area, thereby increasing the number of active reaction sites.