Developing ammonia decomposition catalysts on porous carbon monoliths

R&D Focus Areas:
Ammonia, Porous carbon materials

Lead Organisation:
CSIRO

Partners:
Not Applicable

Status:
Completed

Start date:
December 2022

Completion date:
June 2024

Key contacts:
Alex Ilyushechkin: alex.ilyushechkin@csiro.au
San Shwe Hla: San.Hla@csiro.au
Liezl Schoeman: Liezl.Schoeman@csiro.au

Funding:
CSIRO (Future Science Platforms – Hydrogen Energy Systems)

Project total cost:
Future Science Platforms: AUD$91,000 – CSIRO Energy-in kind: $73,000, CSIRO Minerals-in kind: AUD$18,000

Project summary description:
CSIRO Energy has developed metal membrane hydrogen separation technology which is currently applied for hydrogen separation from nitrogen and ammonia consequent to catalytic ammonia cracking. Previous experience in testing of ammonia cracking /hydrogen separation rig demonstrates the importance of robust, stable catalysts able to stably operate at the conditions compatible with the operation of membrane reactor. These include temperature/pressure/atmosphere while being compatible with the reactor materials.

Commercially, catalysts for lower temperature ammonia cracking contain noble metals such as Pt, Pd, Ru, and Rh and these are incorporated into porous alumina or silica supports. They exhibit high catalytic activity and low activation energy; however, their high costs and low availability limit their use in commercial applications to a great extent.

In the present project, the carbon monoliths produced by the CSIRO Mineral Resources team will be used as a matrix (support) structure to enhance the performance of ammonia cracking catalyst at least by one of the following improvements:

• Increase catalytic activity of loaded catalyst by optimising catalyst distribution on the monolith and developing processes for effectively activating the catalyst.
• Reduce operating temperature for particularly low-cost catalysts.
• Minimise catalyst degradation and increase catalyst lifetime.
• Reduce the noble metal catalyst loading (mg/kg hydrogen produced by cracking).

Related publications and key links:
CSIRO ‘Future Science Platforms: Hydrogen Energy Systems’: Developing low-temperature ammonia decomposition catalysts – Hydrogen Energy Systems (csiro.au)

Higher degree studies supported:
Not Applicable

 

Reviewed: August 2024