Multiwall carbon nanotube-supported molybdenum catalysts for ammonia decomposition reaction under microwave effect

Abstract

In this study, microwave-assisted ammonia decomposition reaction was investigated over molybdenum incorporated catalysts. Due to the selective, volumetric, and noncontact heating properties of the microwave system,higher conversion values could be achieved at relatively lower reaction temperatures, which is important for on-siteCOx-free hydrogen production. Multiwall carbon nanotube-supported molybdenum catalysts were prepared followingthe impregnation procedure with different metal loading (3.5%–12.5% wt%), and inductively coupled plasma, nitrogenphysisorption, X-ray diffraction, and transmission electron microscopic techniques were employed to characterize thefresh and used samples. Reaction experiments were performed under the flow of pure ammonia with a gas hourly spacevelocity of 36,000 mL/g cat .h for both the microwave and conventionally heated reaction systems. It was found thatammonia conversion was obtained even at 400 °C, reaching 40%, and total conversion was observed even at 450 °C,while the activities of these catalysts were negligible at a reaction temperature lower than 550 °C, in the conventionalheated system, which included an electrically heated furnace. Crystals of α-Mo 2 C as well as MoO2 were observed in thestructures of the synthesized catalysts and the formation of nitride species was more easily observable under microwaveheating, possibly due to the nitridation of molybdenum carbide species during the reaction.