The Effect of Catalyst Support on the Decomposition of Methane to Hydrogen and Carbon

Abstract

Decomposition of methane into carbon and hydrogen over Cu/Ni supported catalysts was investigated. The catalytic activities and the lifetimes of the catalysts were studied. Cu/Ni supported on TiO2 showed high activity and long lifetime for the reaction. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies revealed the relationship between the catalyst activity and the formation of the filamentous carbon over the catalyst after methane decomposition. While different types of filamentous carbon formed on the various Cu/Ni supported catalysts, an attractive carbon nanotubes was observed in the Cu/Ni supported on TiO2. 
Key Words:  Methane decomposition, carbon nanotube, Cu/Ni supported catalysts.