Influence of Support Type and Metal Loading in Methane Decomposition over Iron Catalyst for Hydrogen Production

Natural gas resources, stimulate the method of catalytic methane decomposition. Hydrogen is a superb energy carrier and integral component of the present energy systems, while carbon nanotubes exhibit remarkable chemical and physical properties. The reaction was run at 700 °C in a fixed bed reactor. Catalyst calcination and reduction were done at 500 °C. MgO, TiO₂ and Al₂O₃ supported catalysts were prepared using a co‐precipitation method. Catalysts of different iron loadings were characterized with BET, TGA, XRD, H₂‐TPR and TEM. The catalyst characterization revealed the formation of multi‐walled nanotubes. Alternatively, time on stream tests of supported catalyst at 700 °C revealed the relative profiles of methane conversions increased as the %Fe loading was increased. Higher %Fe loadings decreased surface area of the catalyst. Iron catalyst supported with Al₂O₃ exhibited somewhat higher catalytic activity compared with MgO and TiO₂ supported catalysts when above 35% Fe loading was used. CH₄ conversion of 69% was obtained utilizing 60% Fe/Al₂O₃ catalyst. Alternatively, Fe/MgO catalysts gave the highest initial conversions when iron loading below 30% was employed. Indeed, catalysts with 15% Fe/MgO gave 63% conversion and good stability for 1 h time on stream. Inappropriateness of Fe/TiO₂ catalysts in the catalytic methane decomposition was observed.     

Iron-doped carbon aerogels: novel porous substrates for direct growth of carbon nanotubes

We present the synthesis and characterization of Fe-doped carbon aerogels (CAs) and demonstrate the ability to grow carbon nanotubes directly on monoliths of these materials to afford novel carbon aerogel-carbon nanotube composites. Preparation of the Fe-doped CAs begins with the sol-gel polymerization of the potassium salt of 2,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid with formaldehyde, affording K+-doped gels that can then be converted to Fe2+- or Fe3+-doped gels through an ion exchange process, dried with supercritical CO2, and subsequently carbonized under an inert atmosphere. Analysis of the Fe-doped CAs by TEM, XRD, and XPS revealed that the doped iron species are reduced during carbonization to form metallic iron and iron carbide nanoparticles. The sizes and chemical composition of the reduced Fe species were related to pyrolysis temperature as well as the type of iron salt used in the ion exchange process. Raman spectroscopy and XRD analysis further reveal that, despite the presence of the Fe species, the CA framework is not significantly graphitized during pyrolysis. The Fe-doped CAs were subsequently placed in a thermal CVD reactor and exposed to a mixture of CH4 (1000 sccm), H2 (500 sccm), and C2H4 (20 sccm) at temperatures ranging from 600 to 800 degrees C for 10 min, resulting in direct growth of carbon nanotubes on the aerogel monoliths. Carbon nanotubes grown by this method appear to be multiwalled (approximately 25 nm in diameter and up to 4 microm long) and grow through a tip-growth mechanism that pushes catalytic iron particles out of the aerogel framework. The highest yield of CNTs was grown on Fe-doped CAs pyrolyzed at 800 degrees C treated at CVD temperatures of 700 degrees C.     

Fe/Co alloys for the catalytic chemical vapor deposition synthesis of single- and double-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs). 1. The CNT-Fe/Co-MgO system

Mg(0.90)Fe(x)Co(y)O (x + y = 0.1) solid solutions were synthesized by the ureic combustion route. Upon reduction at 1000 degrees C in H2-CH4 of these powders, Fe/Co alloy nanoparticles are formed, which are involved in the formation of carbon nanotubes, which are mostly single and double walled, with an average diameter close to 2.5 nm. Characterizations of the materials are performed using 57Fe M?ssbauer spectroscopy and electron microscopy, and a well-established macroscopic method, based on specific-surface-area measurements, was applied to quantify the carbon quality and the nanotubes quantity. A detailed investigation of the Fe/Co alloys' formation and composition is reported. An increasing fraction of Co2+ ions hinders the dissolution of iron in the MgO lattice and favors the formation of MgFe2O4-like particles in the oxide powders. Upon reduction, these particles form alpha-Fe/Co particles with a size and composition (close to Fe(0.50)Co(0.50)) adequate for the increased production of carbon nanotubes. However, larger particles are also produced resulting in the formation of undesirable carbon species. The highest CNT quantity and carbon quality are eventually obtained upon reduction of the iron-free Mg(0.90)Co(0.10)O solid solution, in the absence of clusters of metal ions in the starting material.     

MgO负载Fe基催化剂选择性合成单/双/多壁碳纳米管

通过浸渍及水热处理获得MgO负载的Fe基催化剂,并将其用于化学气相沉积过程裂解甲烷获得碳纳米管.结果表明,单/双/多壁碳纳米管可选择性地生长在Fe负载量不同的Fe/MgO催化剂上.当Fe负载量仅为0.5%时,铁原子在载体表面烧结为0.8～1.2nm的铁颗粒,碳在这种小颗粒上以表面扩散为主,导致单壁碳纳米管形成,并且单壁碳纳米管的选择性高达90%.当Fe负载量提高到3%时,铁原子聚集成约2.0nm的颗粒,在化学气相沉积中生长碳纳米管时,碳在Fe催化剂颗粒中的体相扩散的贡献增大,在表相扩散和体相扩散的共同作用下,双壁碳纳米管的选择性显著增高.当进一步增加Fe负载量时,铁原子烧结形成1～8nm的颗粒,经过化学气相沉积,在催化剂上生长了单、双、多壁碳纳米管.随着Fe在MgO载体上负载量的增加,管径、管壁数以及半导体管的含量都增加.本研究提供了一种适合大批量选择性生长单/双/多壁碳纳米管的方法.     

Decomposition of methane over alumina supported Fe and Ni–Fe bimetallic catalyst: Effect of preparation procedure and calcination temperature

Catalytic decomposition of methane has been studied extensively as the production of hydrogen and formation of carbon nanotube is proven crucial from the scientific and technological point of view. In that context, variation of catalyst preparation procedure, calcination temperature and use of promoters could significantly alter the methane conversion, hydrogen yield and morphology of carbon nanotubes formed after the reaction. In this work, Ni promoted and unpromoted Fe/Al₂O₃ catalysts have been prepared by impregnation, sol–gel and co-precipitation method with calcination at two different temperatures. The catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), N₂ physisorption, temperature programmed reduction (TPR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) techniques. The catalytic activity was tested for methane decomposition reaction. The catalytic activity was high when calcined at 500 °C temperature irrespective of the preparation method. However while calcined at high temperature the catalyst prepared by impregnation method showed a high activity. It is found from XRD and TPR characterization that disordered iron oxides supported on alumina play an important role for dissociative chemisorptions of methane generating molecular hydrogen. The transmission electron microscope technique results of the spent catalysts showed the formation of carbon nanotube which is having length of 32–34 nm. The Fe nanoparticles are present on the tip of the carbon nanotube and nanotube grows by contraction–elongation mechanism. Among three different methodologies impregnation method was more effective to generate adequate active sites in the catalyst surface. The Ni promotion enhances the reducibility of Fe/Al₂O₃ oxides showing a higher catalytic activity. The catalyst is stable up to six hours on stream as observed in the activity results.     

Carbon nanotube synthesis in supercritical toluene

Multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) were synthesized in supercritical toluene at 600 degrees C and approximately 12.4 MPa using ferrocene, Fe, or FePt nanocrystals as growth catalysts. Toluene serves as both the carbon source for nanotube formation and the solvent. In contrast to vapor-phase synthetic routes, the supercritical solvent provides high precursor concentration and a homogeneous reaction environment with dispersed growth catalyst particles. Both carbon filaments and MWNTs are produced by this approach, and a growth mechanism is proposed to explain the factors that determine the nanotube versus filament morphology. The plasmon energies of the pi and pi + sigma valence electrons were measured using electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) of individual carbon fibers and MWNTs as a characterization tool to complement the imaging data obtained from electron microscopy.     

Constrained iron catalysts for single-walled carbon nanotube growth

The diameter of single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) determines the electronic properties of the nanotube. The diameter of carbon nanotubes is dictated by the diameter of the catalyst particle. Here we describe the use of iron nanoparticles synthesized within the Dps protein cage as catalysts for the growth of single-walled carbon nanotubes. The discrete iron particles synthesized within the Dps protein cages when used as catalyst particles gives rise to single-walled carbon nanotubes with a limited diameter distribution.     

Iron Oxide Supported on Al2O3 Catalyst for Methane Decomposition Reaction: Effect of MgO Additive and Calcination Temperature

Production of hydrogen is a challenging task and have significant impact in the recent scenario. The alumina supported iron oxide nanoparticle synthesized using non‐ionic surfactant Triton‐X was found very effective for steady production of hydrogen through methane decomposition reaction. The high surface area, easily reducible catalyst calcined at 500 °C and 800 °C temperature showed steady activity towards methane decomposition reaction. At a higher reaction temperature there was catalyst deactivation. The doping of MgO facilitated particle growth rendering the poor catalytic activity. The TPR study showed that reducibility of TPR was difficult in presence of MgO additive. The formation of Fe? Mg? Al solid solution confirmed by XRD study was found mainly responsible for the lower catalytic activity. The bamboo‐shaped carbon nanotube formed from 20 % Fe/Al₂O₃ catalyst which is mainly because of the poor wetting property of quasi‐liquid metal and carbon nanotube.     

X-ray absorption spectroscopic investigation of partially reduced cobalt species in Co-MCM-41 catalysts during synthesis of single-wall carbon nanotubes

Chemometric tools were employed to analyze the in-situ dynamic X-ray absorption spectroscopy data to probe the state of Co-MCM-41 catalysts during reduction in pure hydrogen and under single-wall carbon nanotube synthesis reaction conditions. The use of the progressive correlation analysis established the sequence in which changes in the spectral features near the Co K edge occurred, and the evolving factor analysis provided evidence for the formation of an intermediate Co(1+) ionic species during reduction of the Co-MCM-41 catalyst in pure hydrogen up to 720 degrees C. This intermediate species preserves the tetrahedral environment in the silica framework and is resistant to complete reduction to the metal in H(2). While the Co(2+) species is resistant to reduction in pure CO, the intermediate Co(1+) species is more reactive in CO most likely forming cobalt carbonyl-like compounds with high mobility in the MCM-41. These mobile species are the precursors of the metallic clusters growing carbon nanotubes. Controlling the rates of each step of this two-stage reduction process is key to controlling the size of the metallic Co clusters formed in Co-MCM-41 catalysts.     

CVD growth of single-walled carbon nanotubes with narrow diameter distribution over Fe/MgO catalyst and their fluorescence spectroscopy

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) with a narrow diameter distribution are synthesized by thermal chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of methane over Fe/MgO catalyst on the basis of parametric study considering Fe loading, reaction temperature and time, methane concentration, and structure of a support material. We found that the porous MgO support gives the SWNTs with a narrow diameter distribution with the mean diameter and standard deviation of 0.93 and 0.06 nm, respectively, only when the Fe loading and reaction temperature are relatively low. The higher Fe loading and/or the higher reaction temperature enlarged the nanotube diameter, forming double-walled carbon nanotubes (DWNTs) in addition to SWNTs. This result indicates that only the diameter of Fe nanoparticles determines the growth of either SWNTs or DWNTs on the MgO support. The fluorescence and absorption spectra of the nanotube dispersion in D(2)O solution with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) were studied to identify their chirality distribution. The fluorescence of the uniform-diameter SWNTs indicates the formation of the near armchair structures. On the other hand, the SWNTs synthesized over the catalyst with a high Fe loading, 3 wt %, showed a wide chirality distribution including the near zigzag structure. The synthesis of the SWNTs with a narrow diameter distribution could be applied to the selection of SWNTs with a specific chirality based on postsynthesis separation.     

Insights into the oxidation and decomposition of CO on Au/alpha-Fe2O3 and on alpha-Fe2O3 by coupled TG-FTIR

CO oxidation and decomposition behaviors over nanosized 3% Au/alpha-Fe2O3 catalyst and over the alpha-Fe2O3 support were studied in situ via thermogravimetry coupled to on-line FTIR spectroscopy (TG-FTIR), which was used to obtain temperature-programmed reduction (TPR) curves and evolved gas analysis. The catalyst was prepared by a sonication-assisted Au colloid based method and had a Au particle size in the range of 2-5 nm. Carburization studies of H 2-prereduced samples were also made in CO gas. According to gravimetry, for the 3% Au/alpha-Fe2O3 catalyst, there were three distinct stages of CO interaction with the Au catalyst but only two stages for the catalyst support. At low temperatures (相似文献   

助剂铬对Ni/MgO催化剂CVD法制备碳纳米管的促进作用

采用溶胶-凝胶法制备了助剂Cr改性的Ni/MgO催化剂, 用化学气相沉积(CVD)法在600 ℃下裂解甲烷生长碳纳米管, 研究了助剂Cr的引入对催化剂微结构和制备碳纳米管性能的影响. 催化剂样品用XRD, TPR和CO-TPD进行了分析, 制备的碳纳米管用TEM和XRD进行了表征. 实验结果表明, NiO和MgO之间存在着强相互作用而形成固溶体, Ni/MgO催化剂经氢气处理后其中的镍氧化物只有极少部分被还原成为镍. 助剂铬的引入明显促进了镍的还原, 使得催化剂表面的Ni活性中心数增多, 从而使催化剂的活性和性能得到了明显的改进. 在加入助剂后碳纳米管的产率明显增加, 当Cr质量分数为8%时, 碳纳米管的产量为未加助剂时产量的5倍, 碳纳米管和催化剂的质量比达到1928. 当Cr含量进一步增加时, Ni在催剂表面聚集形成大颗粒, 制备出的产品中含有大量的碳纳米纤维和无定形碳. 以8%Cr-Ni/MgO催化剂合成的碳纳米管具有比较高的产率且质量较好.     

Effect of support and reactant on the yield and structure of carbon growth by chemical vapor deposition

The effect of catalyst support and reactant on the yield and structure of carbon growth has been investigated in the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process. Powder Fe and Fe/Al(2)O(3) were the catalysts studied, and CO/H(2), CO, CH(4), and C(2)H(6)/H(2) were used as gas precursors. Platelet and fishbone-tubular structures were produced on powder and supported Fe from CO/H(2), with average diameters of 115 and 45 nm and yields of 28.8 and 17.6 g of C/g of cat. in 8.5 h, respectively. Onionlike carbon was the main structure produced from pure CO on both catalysts. In contrast, from hydrocarbons the highest yield of 2.24 g of C/g of cat. was achieved on Fe/Al(2)O(3), with predominantly tubular structures produced and average tube diameters close to 21 nm. It is concluded that the reactivity and carbon nanostructures are dictated by the size and crystallographic orientation of the catalyst particles. It has been suggested that the tubular structures were grown by continuous carbon supply directly to the tube, but the fiber structures were grown in a layer-by-layer manner. Controlled synthesis of carbon nanotube, platelet nanofiber, fishbone-tubular nanofiber, and onionlike carbon with high selectivity and yield was demonstrated.     

Fe-Mn/Al2O3催化剂低温 NH3选择性催化还原 NO的性能

本文制备了一系列 Fe-Mn/Al2O3催化剂,并在固定床上考察了其 NH3低温选择性催化还原 NO的性能.首先考察了不同 Fe负载量制备的催化剂的脱硝性能,优选出最佳的 Fe负载量;在此基础上,研究了 Mn负载量对催化剂脱硝效率的影响;最后,对优选催化剂的抗 H2O和抗 SO2性能进行了实验研究;同时,对催化剂由于 SO2所造成的失活机制进行了考察.采用 N2吸附-脱附、X射线衍射、透射电镜、能量弥散 X射线谱、程序升温还原、程序升温脱附、X射线光电子能谱、热重和傅里叶变换红外光谱等方法对催化剂进行了表征.结果表明,最佳的 Fe和 Mn负载量均为8%,所制的8Fe-8Mn/Al2O3催化剂在150°C的脱硝效率可达近99%;同时,在整个低温测试区间(90–210°C)的脱硝效率均超过了92.6%. Fe在催化剂表面主要以 Fe3+形态存在,而 Mn主要包括 Mn4+和 Mn3+; Mn的添加提高了 Fe在催化剂表面的积累,促进了催化剂比表面积增大和活性物种分散,改善了催化剂氧化还原性能和对 NH3的吸附能力.催化剂的高活性主要是由于其具有较大的比表面积、高度分散的活性物种、增加的还原特性和表面酸性、较低的结合能、较高的 Mn4+/Mn3+和增强的表面吸附氧.此外,8Fe-8Mn/Al2O3的催化性能受 H2O和 SO2影响较小,抗 H2O和 SO2能力较强.同时,反应温度对催化剂的抗硫性有重要影响,在较低的反应温度下,催化剂抗硫性更好; SO2造成催化剂活性降低主要是由于催化剂表面硫酸盐物种的生成.一方面,表面硫酸铵盐的生成造成催化剂孔道堵塞和比表面积降低,减少了反应中的气固接触从而导致活性降低;另一方面,催化剂表面的活性物种被硫酸化,造成反应中的有效活性位减少,从而降低了催化剂活性.     

Single wall carbon nanotube amplification: en route to a type-specific growth mechanism

With the desire to mass produce any specific n,m type of single wall carbon nanotube (SWNT) from a small sample of the same material, we disclose here the preliminary work directed toward that goal. The ultimate protocol would involve taking a single n,m-type nanotube sample, cutting the nanotubes in that sample into many short nanotubes, using each of those short nanotubes as a template for growing much longer nanotubes of the same type, and then repeating the process. The result would be an amplification of the original tube type: a parent SWNT serving as the prolific progenitor of future identical SWNT types. As a proof-of-concept, we use here a short SWNT seed as a template for vapor liquid solid (VLS) amplification growth of an individual long SWNT. The original short SWNT seed was a polymer-wrapped SWNT, end-carboxylated, and further tethered with Fe salts at its ends. The Fe salts were to act as the growth catalysts upon subsequent reductive activation. Deposition of the short SWNT-Fe tipped species upon an oxide surface was followed by heating in air to consume the polymer wrappers, then reducing the Fe salts to Fe(0) under a H2-rich atmosphere. During this heating, the Fe(0) can etch back into the short SWNT so that the short SWNT acts as a template for new growth to a long SWNT that occurs upon introduction of C2H4 as a carbon source. Analysis indicated that the templated VLS-grown long SWNT had the same diameter and surface orientation as the original short SWNT seed, although amplifying the original n,m type remains to be proven. This study could pave the way for an amplified growth process of SWNTs en route to any n,m tube type synthesis from a starting sample of pure nanotubes.     

硅对铁基费-托合成催化剂的影响

用共沉淀法制备了一系列不同硅含量的铁基催化剂,采用N2吸附和原位X射线衍射对催化剂进行了表征,在固定床反应器中考察了催化剂的费-托合成反应活性、选择性和稳定性.结果表明,含硅的催化剂具有较大的比表面积和较小的平均孔径,在CO还原及费-托合成反应中生成的碳化铁物种的稳定性比不含硅的催化剂高.在费-托合成反应中,不含硅的催化剂具有较高的初始活性,但易失活;含硅的催化剂具有较低的初始活性,但稳定性较高.Fe7C3是活性最高的碳化铁物种.随着硅含量的增加,催化剂的费-托合成反应更易生成低碳数产物.     

Reducing reaction of Fe3O4 in nanoscopic reactors of a-CNTs

A reduction of Fe3O4 nanowires in nanoscopic reactors of amorphous C:H nanotubes (a-CNTs) was taken to understand features of the chemical reaction mechanism in nanoscale reactors. Fe3O4 nanowires encapsulated in a-CNTs were reduced into iron at a relatively low temperature of 570 degrees C, producing iron nanoparticles encapsulated in CNTs accompanied by the crystallization of the a-CNT shell. It was found that carbon in the a-CNT shell rather than hydrogen (5.5 wt % in it) reduced Fe3O4, showing features different from those in a macroscopic system. The possible mechanisms behind this phenomenon are discussed.     

Low-temperature growth of carbon nanotubes from the catalytic decomposition of carbon tetrachloride

Multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) were synthesized via the decomposition of CCl4 in supercritical CO2 at 175 degrees C and 27.6 MPa using an iron-encapsulated dendrimer as a growth catalyst. The average diameter of resultant nanotubes was 20-25 nm, obtained after a 24-h reaction time. Our conditions represent the first application for CX4 precursors, as well as the lowest-reported temperature regime for carbon nanotube growth, allowing the use of other temperature-sensitive catalytic substrates.     

Selective synthesis of (9,8) single walled carbon nanotubes on cobalt incorporated TUD-1 catalysts

Selective synthesis of single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) with specific (n,m) structures is desired for many potential applications. Current chirality control growth has only achieved at small diameter (6,5) and (7,5) nanotubes. Each (n,m) species is a distinct molecule with structure-dependent properties; therefore it is essential to extend chirality control to various (n,m) species. In this communication, we demonstrate the highly selective synthesis of (9,8) nanotubes on a cobalt incorporated TUD-1 catalyst are (Co-TUD-1). When catalysts were prereduced in H(2) at the optimized temperature of 500 °C, 59.1% of semiconducting nanotubes have the (9,8) structure. The uniqueness of Co-TUD-1 relies on its low reduction temperature (483 °C), large surface area, and strong metal-support interaction, which stabilizes Co clusters responsible for the growth of (9,8) nanotubes. SWCNT thin film field effect transistors fabricated using (9,8) nanotubes from our synthesis process have higher average device mobility and a higher fraction of semiconducting devices than those using (6,5) nanotubes. Combining with further postsynthetic sorting techniques, our selective synthesis method brings us closer to the ultimate goal of producing (n,m) specific nanotube materials.     

Tailoring (n,m) structure of single-walled carbon nanotubes by modifying reaction conditions and the nature of the support of CoMo catalysts

The (n,m) population distribution of single-walled carbon nanotubes obtained on supported CoMo catalysts has been determined by photoluminescence and optical absorption. It has been found that the (n,m) distribution can be controlled by varying the gaseous feed composition, the reaction temperature, and the type of catalyst support used. When using CO as a feed over CoMo/SiO2 catalysts, increasing the synthesis temperature results in an increase in nanotube diameter, without a change in the chiral angle. By contrast, by changing the support from SiO2 to MgO, nanotubes with similar diameter but different chiral angles are obtained. Finally, keeping the same reaction conditions but varying the composition of the gaseous feed results in different (n,m) distribution. The clearly different distributions obtained when varying catalysts support and/or reaction conditions demonstrate that the (n,m) distribution is a result of differences in the growth kinetics, which in turn depends on the nanotube cap-metal cluster interaction.