Solar　reforming　of　natural　gas　has　been　considered　as　the　promising　conversion　route　of　solar　fuels　with　the　concentrated　solar　heat.　The　present　work　focuses　on　investigating　the　catalytic　reforming　reaction　over　metal　foam　based　monolithic　catalysts.　The　2　wt.%　Ru/Al2O3/AISI　316　foam　and　5　wt.%Ni/Al2O3/AISI　316　foam　were　prepared　via　the　process　of　coating　and　impregnation.　The　catalytic　properties　of　5　wt.%Ni/Al2O3/AISI　316　foam　and　2　wt.%Ru/Al2O3/AISI　316　foam　for　the　methane　reforming　with　carbon　dioxide　were　tested　in　a　continuous-flow　fixed-bed　reaction　system.　The　results　showed　that　the　2　wt.%Ru/Al2O3/AISI　316　foam　exhibited　higher　catalytic　activity　and　long-term　stability　for　CO2　reforming　of　methane.　The　316　stainless　steel　metal　foam　matrix　had　the　very　low　catalytic　performance　for　methane　reforming　with　CO2　and　the　Al2O3　coating　played　a　key　role　on　the　reactivity　of　the　resulting　catalysts.　Copyright　(C)　2012,　Hydrogen　Energy　Publications,　LLC.　Published　by　Elsevier　Ltd.　All　rights　reserved.