Intermetallic Ni3Ga1 Catalyst for Efficient Ammonia Reforming of Light Alkane

• Published in: Journal of the American Chemical Society 2024-01, Vol.146 (4), p.2646-2653
• Main Authors: Fadaeerayeni, Siavash, Lyu, Xingyi, Fang, Lingzhe, Wang, Peng, Wu, Jiachun, Li, Tao, Senftle, Thomas, Xiang, Yizhi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
• ISSN: 0002-7863; 1520-5126
• DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c11981

Ammonia reforming of light alkane is conventionally employed for HCN production where coproduct H2 is burned for heating owing to the high reaction temperature (1200 °C) of such a highly endothermic process. Here, we show that a Ni3Ga1 intermetallic compound (IMC) catalyst is highly efficient for such a reaction, realizing efficient conversion of C1–C3 alkanes at 575–750 °C. This makes it feasible for on-purpose CO x -free H2 production assuming that ammonia, as an H2 carrier, is ubiquitously available from renewable energy. At 650 °C and an alkane/ammonia ratio of 1/2, ethane and propane conversion of ∼20% and methane conversion of 13% were obtained (with nearly 100% HCN selectivity for methane and ethane) over the unsupported Ni3Ga1 IMC, which also shows high stability due to the absence of coke deposition. This breakthrough is achieved by employing a stoichiometric Ni3Ga1 mixed oxalate solid solution as the precursor for the Ni3Ga1 IMC.