Study of Catalyst Support Effect with Nickel Promoter in Thermocatalytic Decomposition of Methane for Hydrogen Production

Hydrogen production by thermocatalytic decomposition (TCD) is one of the most promising method to produce COX-free hydrogen as a source of renewable and sustainable energy. Thermocatalytic decomposition of methane requires an active functioning catalyst and support. Thus the need to study on the best catalyst support as well as its combination of the active component in order to design a catalyst with a high catalytic performance for the decomposition of methane in hydrogen production is necessary. The investigations started by synthesizing the catalyst using Aluminium Nitrate Hydrate, Al (NO3)3.9H2O, Cerium Nitrate Hexahydrate, Ce(N03)3.6H2O, Magnesium Nitrate Hexahydrate, Mg(NO3)2.6H2O as support and Nickel as the promoter via co-precipitation method. Nickel as a choice of promoter was considered due to its high catalytic activities and stability to withstand longer period of time under certain temperature. The synthesized catalyst would then be characterized using a Temperature-Programmed Reduction (TPR), studied using a Thermo gravimetric analyser (TGA), X-Ray Diffraction Analysis (XRD) to understand the structures, phases and other parameters such as average grain size and defects. The Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) will be used to study the stability and the morphology of the fresh and spent catalyst. The Response Surface Methodology (RSM) is intended to obtain an optimal response. Finally, thermocatalytic decomposition of methane would be carried in a Tubular Furnace Reactor at a temperature range from 500oC to 800oC and the conversion of methane to hydrogen was measured. The operating conditions would be adjusted in order to understand and obtain a complete conversion of methane and yield a high percentage of hydrogen production.