ScholarWorks@성균관대학교

초록

Ammonia has emerged as a strategically advantageous hydrogen carrier; however, its efficient decomposition using conventional solid catalysts remains technically challenging from an industrial standpoint, particularly in terms of long-term stability and large-scale implementation. In this study, we propose a strategy for ammonia cracking by utilizing Sn-based molten metal alloys in a bubble column reactor, which provides a sintering-resistant and thermally efficient catalytic platform. Among various candidate transition metals, the Sn-Co alloy exhibited the most superior catalytic performance, demonstrating a significant reduction in the apparent activation energy to 52.6 kJ/mol. To the best of our knowledge, this study provides the first experimental evidence of the catalytic role of molten metals in the ammonia decomposition process. Structural characterization confirmed that the molten alloy maintains its metallic state without the formation of nitrides, verifying the function of the molten metal as an active catalyst rather than a sacrificial reagent. This work offers a new catalytic approach that addresses the requirements for the commercialization of ammonia cracking through improved scalability and chemical durability.

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