Ni nanocatalysts based on high surface
area carborundum for the
decomposition of ammonia to CO
x
-free hydrogen
are synthesized using a wet impregnation approach. The catalysts were
characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller
(BET), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy
(SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and H2-temperature-programmed
reduction (TPR) methods. The Ni/SiC catalyst was found to be extremely
active for the decomposition reaction when their activities were assessed
in a fixed-bed reactor. Ni content and calcination temperature affect
the crystallite size, dispersion, and reducibility of Ni species,
thereby impacting the catalytic properties of catalysts. The 30Ni/SiC
catalyst demonstrates the highest catalytic activity and long-term
stability. At a high space velocity of 30 000 mL gcat
–1 h–1, the 30Ni/SiC-700 catalyst
converts ammonia by 79.6% at 550 °C, demonstrating that Ni/SiC
is an effective ammonia decomposition catalyst. The present study
provides a promising avenue for the development of cost-effective
and high-performance catalysts for hydrogen production via NH3 decomposition.