Event Title
Ammonia for Renewable Energy Storage: Novel Heterogeneous Catalysts for NH3 Decomposition
Faculty Sponsor
Viktor Poltavets
Submission Type
Poster
Description
To enable widespread usage of renewable energy, which is generated both intermittently and distant from its point of use, energy must be stored either in a battery or as a fuel. Hydrogen is difficult to store and transfer due to its low density. In contrast, ammonia can be liquefied at 9.2 bar pressure at room temperature. Ammonia has a very high, 17.6%, hydrogen content. The most efficient catalyst for NH decomposition, ruthenium (Ru) metal, is expensive. A series of mixed metal oxides with perovskite structure, e. g. LaCrO , LaMnO , LaFeO , LaCoO , and LaNiO , were studied as catalysts for ammonia decomposition. The results indicate that they are all either reduced to metal or transformed to metal nitride and lanthanum oxide. This study shows that perovskites have negligible activity toward ammonia decomposition reaction. However, after the reduction in ammonia, they are transformed into highly active catalysts. We have discovered that cobalt metal on lanthanum oxide (La2O3) support demonstrates 4 times higher activity at 450°C than on other supports. In our study, the activity of new heterogeneous catalysts for ammonia decomposition (cobalt and nickel alloys on lanthanum oxide support) was determined in the range of temperatures using a fixed bed flow reactor. Co Ni with x = 0.05 is five-times more active than pure cobalt at 400°C. The low cost and, potentially, the high catalytic activity of these alloys will enable cost-effective NH3 to H2 conversion.
Ammonia for Renewable Energy Storage: Novel Heterogeneous Catalysts for NH3 Decomposition
To enable widespread usage of renewable energy, which is generated both intermittently and distant from its point of use, energy must be stored either in a battery or as a fuel. Hydrogen is difficult to store and transfer due to its low density. In contrast, ammonia can be liquefied at 9.2 bar pressure at room temperature. Ammonia has a very high, 17.6%, hydrogen content. The most efficient catalyst for NH decomposition, ruthenium (Ru) metal, is expensive. A series of mixed metal oxides with perovskite structure, e. g. LaCrO , LaMnO , LaFeO , LaCoO , and LaNiO , were studied as catalysts for ammonia decomposition. The results indicate that they are all either reduced to metal or transformed to metal nitride and lanthanum oxide. This study shows that perovskites have negligible activity toward ammonia decomposition reaction. However, after the reduction in ammonia, they are transformed into highly active catalysts. We have discovered that cobalt metal on lanthanum oxide (La2O3) support demonstrates 4 times higher activity at 450°C than on other supports. In our study, the activity of new heterogeneous catalysts for ammonia decomposition (cobalt and nickel alloys on lanthanum oxide support) was determined in the range of temperatures using a fixed bed flow reactor. Co Ni with x = 0.05 is five-times more active than pure cobalt at 400°C. The low cost and, potentially, the high catalytic activity of these alloys will enable cost-effective NH3 to H2 conversion.
Comments
2nd place, Graduate Poster