• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.57 no.3
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• pp.425-431
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• 2019

As rechargeable metal-air batteries will be ideal energy storage devices in the future, an active cathode electrocatalyst is required with bi-functionality on both oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) during discharge and charge, respectively. Here, a class of perovskite cathode catalyst with a micro-tubular structure has been developed by controlling bi-functionality from different Ru and Ni dopant ratios. A micro-tubular structure is achieved by the activated carbon fiber (ACF) templating method, which provides uniform size and shape. At the perovskite formula of $LaCrO_3$, the dual dopant system is successfully synthesized with a perfect incorporation into the single perovskite structure. The chemical oxidation states for each Ni and Ru also confirm the partial substitution to B-site of Cr without any changes in the major perovskite structure. From the electrochemical measurements, the micro-tubular feature reveals much more efficient catalytic activity on ORR and OER, comparing to the grain catalyst with same perovskite composition. By changing the Ru and Ni ratio, the $LaCr_{0.8}Ru_{0.1}Ni_{0.1}O_3$ micro-tubular catalyst exhibits great bi-functionality, especially on ORR, with low metal loading, which is comparable to the commercial catalyst of Pt and Ir. This advanced catalytic property on the micro-tubular structure and Ru/Ni synergy effect at the perovskite material may provide a new direction for the next-generation cathode catalyst in metal-air battery system.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.274-282
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• 2004

This study focused on the development of high performance catalyst for autothermal reforming (ATR) of gasoline to produce hydrogen. The ATR was carried out over MgO/Al2O3 supported metal catalysts prepared under various experimental conditions. The catalysts before and after reaction were characterized by N2-physisorption, CO-chemisorption, SEM and XRD. The performance of supported multi-metal catalysts were better than that of supported mono-metal catalysts. Especially, it was observed that the conversion of iso-octane over prepared Ni/Fe/MgO/Al2O3 catalyst was 99.9 % comparable with commercial catalyst (ICI) and the selectivity of hydrogen over the prepared catalyst was 65% higher than ICI catalyst. Furthermore, it was identified that the sulfur tolerance of prepared catalyst was much better than ICI catalyst based on the ATR reaction of iso-octane containing sulfur of 100 ppm. Therefore, Ni/Fe/MgO/Al2O3 catalyst can be applied for a fuel reformer, hydrogen station and on-board reformer in furl cell powered vehicles.

• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.62-66
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• 2008

We report on the growth mechanism of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes (VACNTs) using ultra thin Ni catalysts and direct current plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) system. The CNTs were grown with -600 V bias to substrate electrode and catalyst thickness variation of 0.07 nm to 3 nm. The CNT density was reduced with catalyst thickness reduction and increased growth time. Cone like CNTs were grown with ultra thin Ni thickness, and it results from an etch of carbon network by reactive etchant species and continuous carbon precipitation on CNT walls. Vertically aligned sparse CNTs can be grown with ultra thin Ni catalyst.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.459-467
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• 2014

The catalytic steam reforming of toluene, a major component of biomass tar, was studied using several catalysts at various temperatures $400-800^{\circ}C$, kind of metal, and metal loading content. Ru and K promoted Ni-base catalyst were prepared, and used for steam reforming of toluene with steam/toluene molar ratio of 25. Concentration of toluene in reactant flow is $30g/Nm^3$ that is usual content of tar from biomass gasifier. The result from experiments showed that $H_2$ content in product gas and toluene conversion increased with temperature. Where in high temperature range, CO and $CO_2$ content in product gas were affected mainly by Boudouard reaction. Ni/Ru-K(3wt%)/$Al_2O_3$ catalyst showed best performance on steam reforming of toluene than used catalysts in this study at whole temperature. Catalysts have been characterized by XRD, TG. XRD analysis displayed that Ni particle size on Ni/Ru-K (3wt%)/$Al_2O_3$ catalyst was 29.4nm. Activation energy of Ni/Ru-K (3wt%)/$Al_2O_3$ catalyst was calculated 36.8kJ/mol by Arrhenius plot.

• Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry
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• v.68
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• pp.69-78
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• 2018

A study has been carried out of the regenerability of a commercial Ni catalyst used in the steam reforming of the volatiles from biomass pyrolysis (gases and bio-oil), determining the evolution of the reaction indices (conversion, product yields and $H_2$ production) in successive reaction-regeneration cycles. The causes of catalyst deactivation (coke deposition and Ni sintering) have been ascertained characterizing the deactivated and regenerated catalysts by TPO, TEM, TPR and XRD. Catalyst activity is not fully recovered by coke combustion in the first cycles due to the irreversible deactivation by Ni sintering, but the catalyst reaches a pseudo-stable state beyond the fourth cycle, reproducing its behaviour in subsequent cycles.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2009.11a
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• pp.218-221
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• 2009

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), as high-temperature fuel cells, have various advantages. In some merits of SOFCs, high temperature operation can lead to the capability for internal reforming, providing fuel flexibility. SOFCs can directly use CH4 and CO as fuels with sufficient steam feeds. However, hydrocarbons heavier than CH4, such as ethylene, ethane, and propane, induce carbon deposition on the Ni-based anodes of SOFCs. In the case of the ethylene steam reforming reaction on a Ni-based catalyst, the rate of carbon deposition is faster than among other hydrocarbons, even aromatics. In the reformates of heavy hydrocarbons (diesel, gasoline, kerosene and JP-8), the concentration of ethylene is usually higher than other low hydrocarbons such as methane, propane and butane. It is importatnt that ethylene in the reformate is removed for stlable operation of SOFCs. A new methodology, termed post-reforming was introduced for removing low hydrocarbons from the reformate gas stream. In this work, activity tests of some post-reforming catalysts, such as CGO-Ru, CGO-Ni, and CGO-Pt, are investigated. CGO-Pt catalyst is not good for removing ethylene due to low conversion of ethylene and low selectivity of ethylene dehydrogenation. The other hand, CGO-Ru and CGO-Ni catalysts show good ethylene conversion, and CGO-Ni catalyst shows the best reaction selectivity of ethylene dehydrogenation.

• Clean Technology
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.47-53
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• 2009

Mesoporous aluminas (A-C, A-A, and A-N) were prepared by a templating method using cationic(C), anionic(A), and non-ionic(N) surfactant as a structure-directing agent, respectively. Nickel catalysts supported on mesoporous alumina (Ni/A-C, Ni/A-A, and Ni/A-N) were then prepared by an impregnation method, and were applied to hydrogen production by steam reforming of liquefied natural gas (LNG). Regardless of surfactant type, nickel species were finely dispersed on the surface of mesoporous alumina in the calcined catalysts. It was revealed that interaction between nickel species and support in the reduced catalysts was strongly dependent on the identity of surfactant. LNG conversion and $H_2$ composition in dry gas increased in the order of Ni/A-C < Ni/A-A < Ni/A-N. It was found that catalytic performance increased with increasing nickel surface area in the reduced catalyst. Among the catalyst tested, Ni/A-N catalyst with the highest nickel surface area showed the best catalytic performance.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.466-470
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• 2008

The objective of this study is to convert methane into hydrogen using a nanoporous catalyst in the $CO_2$ containing syngas generated from the gasified waste. For the purpose, $Ni/Al_2O_3$ catalyst was prepared with the one-pot method. According to analyses of the catalyst, three dimensionally linked sponge shaped particles were created and the prepared nanoporous catalysts had larger surface area and smaller particle size and more uniform pores compared to the sphere shaped commercial catalyst. The catalyst for reforming reaction gave the highest $CH_4$ conversion of 91%, and $CO_2$ conversion of 92% when impregnated with 16 wt% of Ni at the reaction temperature of $750^{\circ}C$. At that time, the prepared catalyst remarkably improved the $CH_4$ and $CO_2$ conversion up to 20% compared to the commercial one.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.821-829
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• 2006

A series of catalysts, $NiO/La_2O_3-ZrO_2/WO_3$, for acid catalysis was prepared by the precipitation and impregnation methods. For the $NiO/La_2O_3-ZrO_2/WO_3$ samples, no diffraction lines of nickel oxide were observed, indicating good dispersion of nickel oxide on the catalyst surface. The catalyst was amorphous to X-ray diffraction up to 300 ${^{\circ}C}$ of calcination temperature, but the tetragonal phase of $ZrO_2$ and monoclinic phase of $WO_3$ by the calcination temperatures from 400 ${^{\circ}C}$ to 700 ${^{\circ}C}$ were observed. The role of $La_2O_3$ in the catalyst was to form a thermally stable solid solution with zirconia and consequently to give high surface area and acidity. The high acid strength and high acidity were responsible for the W=O bond nature of complex formed by the modification of $ZrO_2$ with $WO_3$. For 2-propanol dehydration the catalyst calcined at 400 ${^{\circ}C}$ exhibited the highest catalytic activity, while for cumene dealkylation the catalyst calcined at 600 ${^{\circ}C}$ showed the highest catalytic activity. 25-$NiO/5-La_2O_3-ZrO_2/15-WO_3$ exhibited maximum catalytic activities for two reactions due to the effects of $WO_3$ modifying and $La_2O_3$ doping.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.166-173
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• 2006

Catalytic reforming of $CO_2$ by $CH_4$ over Ni-YSZ based catalysts was investigated to produce syngas as raw material of high valued chemicals and develop high performance catalyst electrode for an internal reforming of $CO_2$ in SOFC system. Ni-YSZ based catalysts were prepared using physical mixing and maleic acid methods to improve catalytic activity and inhibition of carbon deposition. The catalysts before and after the reaction were characterized by $N_2$ physisorption, TPR(temperature programed reduction), XRD and impedance analyzer. The conversions for $CO_2$ and $CH_4$ over Ni-MgO catalyst showed 90% but much amount of carbon deposition was detected on catalyst surface. On the other hand, the conversions for $CO_2$ and $CH_4$ over NiO-YSZ-$CeO_2$ catalyst showed 100% and 85% respectively, and carbon deposition on catalyst surface was inhibited under the tested condition. It was concluded that NiO-YSZ-$CeO_2$ catalyst is a promising candidate for the catalytic reforming of $CO_2$ and the internal reforming in SOFC system.