Enhanced ammonia decomposition using a Pd-Ag membrane reactor for high-purity hydrogen production

In this study, a Pd-Ag membrane reactor (MR) integrated with a lab-synthesized ruthenium catalyst supported on La2Ce2O7 was used for the efficient production and recovery of highly-pure hydrogen from ammonia decomposition. The catalyst was synthesized using solution combustion techniques, and its st...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Erasmo Salvatore Napolitano, Cristina Italiano, Adele Brunetti, Minju Thomas, Antonio Vita, Giuseppe Barbieri
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-07-01
Series:Fuel Processing Technology
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S037838202500027X
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Summary:In this study, a Pd-Ag membrane reactor (MR) integrated with a lab-synthesized ruthenium catalyst supported on La2Ce2O7 was used for the efficient production and recovery of highly-pure hydrogen from ammonia decomposition. The catalyst was synthesized using solution combustion techniques, and its structure–activity relationship was thoroughly investigated through a range of advanced characterization methods, including N2 physisorption, X-ray diffraction (XRD), hydrogen temperature-programmed reduction (H2-TPR), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM).The performance of the membrane reactor was evaluated by varying the feed pressure and flow rate, using either single ammonia or a simulated outlet stream from a conventional reactor with ammonia conversions ranging from 20 % to 50 %. This configuration was designed to assess the MR ability to mitigate or prevent hydrogen back-permeation, as well as optimize membrane performance. The MR achieved ammonia conversions of up to 85 %, surpassing the thermodynamic limits typical of traditional reactors (TR). Hydrogen recovery rates reached 97 %, with purity consistently exceeding 90 %. Notably, the MR demonstrated up to 3.6 times higher ammonia conversion compared to conventional TR, highlighting its significant advantages for ammonia decomposition applications.
ISSN:0378-3820