The pros and cons of oxygen mediating the performance of nickel catalysts in dry reforming of methane

Catalysis is one of the key technologies in the chemical industry and has a wide-reaching impact on various aspects of our daily lives, including plastics manufacturing, drug synthesis, and production of both fertilizers and fuels. It is estimated that over 90% of chemical products are nowadays manufactured with the involvement of catalysis in at least one stage. Catalysis is a complex process that relies on the precise structural control of several elements at the crossroads of phase (in-)stabilities.