title: Methane-induced Activation Mechanism of Fused Ferric Oxide-Alumina Catalysts during Methane Decomposition.
abstract: Activation of Fe2 O3 -Al2 O3 with CH4 (instead of H2 ) is a meaningful method to achieve catalytic methane decomposition (CMD). This reaction of CMD is more economic and simple against commercial methane steam reforming (MSR) as it produces COx -free H2 . In this study, for the first time, structure changes of the catalyst were screened during CH4 reduction with time on stream. The aim was to optimize the pretreatment conditions through understanding the activation mechanism. Based on results from various characterization techniques, reduction of Fe2 O3 by CH4 proceeds in three steps: Fe2 O3 →Fe3 O4 →FeO→Fe0. Once Fe0 is formed, it decomposes CH4 with formation of Fe3 C, which is the crucial initiation step in the CMD process to initiate formation of multiwall carbon nanotubes.
authors.affiliation: KAUST Catalysis Center (KCC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Linga
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Reddy Enakonda
authors.affiliation: KAUST Catalysis Center (KCC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia. lu.zhou@kaust.edu.sa.
authors.forename: Lu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: KAUST Catalysis Center (KCC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Youssef
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Saih
authors.affiliation: KAUST Catalysis Center (KCC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Samy
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ould-Chikh
authors.affiliation: Core Lab, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Sergei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lopatin
authors.affiliation: Paris Saclay Research Center, Materials Sciences, AIR LIQUIDE Research & Development.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gary
authors.affiliation: Paris Saclay Research Center, Materials Sciences, AIR LIQUIDE Research & Development.
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Del-Gallo
authors.affiliation: KAUST Catalysis Center (KCC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia. jeanmarie.basset@kaust.edu.sa.
authors.forename: Jean-Marie
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Basset
mesh_terms: D000537:Aluminum Oxide / Q000737:chemistry*; D002384:Catalysis; D005290:Ferric Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D007700:Kinetics; D008697:Methane / Q000737:chemistry*; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D005290:Ferric Compounds; C000499:ferric oxide; D000537:Aluminum Oxide; D008697:Methane
keywords: activation; decomposition; hydrogen; iron; methane