Silicon nitride supported nickel catalyst prepared by impregnation using nickel nitrate solution was employed for the carbon dioxide reforming of methane. The catalyst was tested at 800 degrees C under atmospheric pressure. The influences of Ni loading and calcination temperature on the catalytic performance were investigated. It was found that the nickel loading and calcination temperature strongly influenced the catalytic performance. Over the 7 wt. % Ni/Si3N4 catalyst calcined at 400 degrees C, the conversions of CH4 and CO2 can achieve 95% and 91%, respectively. Appropriate interaction between the metal and the basic support makes the catalyst more resistant to sintering and coking, and thus an excellent stability. Copyright (C) 2011, Hydrogen Energy Publications, LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.