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A Mesoporous Carbon‐Supported and Cs‐promoted Ru Catalyst with Enhanced Activity and Stability for Sustainable Ammonia Synthesis
Author(s) -
Nishi Masayasu,
Chen ShihYuan,
Takagi Hideyuki
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
chemcatchem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.497
H-Index - 106
eISSN - 1867-3899
pISSN - 1867-3880
DOI - 10.1002/cctc.201800556
Subject(s) - catalysis , microporous material , mesoporous material , sintering , ammonia production , carbon fibers , inorganic chemistry , materials science , nanoparticle , chemical engineering , space velocity , hydrogen production , ammonia , hydrogen , chemistry , nanotechnology , organic chemistry , metallurgy , selectivity , composite number , engineering , composite material
A mesoporous carbon‐supported Ru catalyst with Cs promotor and an open mesostructure (Cs−Ru/MPC) was prepared by a stepwise wet impregnation method and used for sustainable ammonia synthesis under mild reaction conditions using a wide range of space velocities (SV). The Cs−Ru/MPC catalyst showed higher activity and stability for ammonia synthesis than a reference catalyst with a microporous framework prepared by the same method (an active‐carbon‐supported and Cs‐promoted Ru catalyst (Cs−Ru/AC)). It was found that the mesoporous carbon framework is a suitable medium for the dispersion of the Ru nanoparticles within a narrow size distribution, and it also protected the small Ru nanoparticles against sintering during ammonia synthesis. However, the sintering of Ru nanoparticles on the outer surfaces of the Cs−Ru/AC catalyst was observed, resulting in its deactivation. The results suggest that the Cs−Ru/MPC catalyst is applicable to real operating conditions, where there may be short warm‐up and shut‐down periods for hydrogen production via the electrolysis of water using intermittently available renewable electricity.