Y-doped BaCeO3 perovskite-supported Ru catalysts for COx-free hydrogen production from ammonia: Effect of strong metal–support interactions

Abstract

© 2022 American Chemical Society.The development of highly efficient Ru-based catalysts for NH3 decomposition is necessary to enable the utilization of NH3 as a COx-free H2 carrier. Modulation of the interactions between the basic support materials and Ru particles significantly enhances the performance of Ru-based catalysts for NH3 decomposition. In this study, the strong metal-support interaction (SMSI) interface between the BaCeO3 perovskite support and Ru particles was controlled by yttrium (Y) doping in the range of 0-20 mol %. The substitution of Y3+ into Ce4+ sites improved the reducibility of the support for the removal of lattice oxygen atoms, which promoted the formation of the SMSI interface between the mobile oxygen-deficient suboxide supports and Ru particles. The Ru catalysts supported on Y-doped BaCeO3 exhibited superior activity compared to undoped and other representative Ru catalysts. Moreover, the SMSI shell encapsulating the Ru particles improved the stability of the Y-doped Ru catalyst. This comprehensive study demonstrates that the enhancement in catalytic performance is attributable to facilitated N2 desorption, which is the rate-limiting step for NH3 decomposition over Ru-based catalysts, via the formation of the SMSI interface. These research findings show that the control of the SMSI interface is a promising strategy for designing highly active catalysts to be used in NH3 decomposition.