Abstract: The decomposition and CO₂ reforming of methane, respectively, are promising alternatives to industrial steam methane reforming. In recent years, research has been focused on the development of catalysts that can operate without getting deactivated by carbon deposition, where, in particular, carbon catalysts have shown positive results. In this work, the role of carbon materials in heterogeneous catalysis is assessed and publications on methane decomposition and CO₂ reforming of methane over carbon materials are reviewed. The influence of textural properties (BET surface area and micropore volume, etc.) and oxygen surface groups on the catalytic activity of carbon materials are discussed. In addition, this review examines how activated carbon and carbon black catalysts, which are the most commonly used carbon catalysts, are deactivated. Characteristics of the carbon deposits from methane are discussed and the influence of the reactivity to CO₂ of fresh carbon and carbonaceous deposits for high and steady conversion during CO₂ reforming of CH₄ are also considered.

Key words: carbon catalyst, catalytic activity, decomposition, methane, reforming