Effect of pressure on the efficiency of nickel and nickel-copper catalysts in decomposition of methane

Methane decomposition into hydrogen and nanofibrous carbon in the presence of high-percentage catalysts (70–90)% Ni–(0–20)% Cu–10% Al at a temperature of 948 K and pressures of 1 to 5 atm was studied in order to develop a technology for enrichment of natural gas with hydrogen. It was found that, With an increasing copper content in the catalyst and and with increasing pressure, the average, methane decomposition rate decreases by 10–20% and the catalyst lifetime and the specific yield of hydrogen (mol/mol_Ni+Cu) become (3.8–12) times higher over the catalyst deactivation period. The mechanisms by which the pressure and the copper content of the catalyst affect these process characteristics are discussed.