Promoting effect of ruthenium, platinum and palladium on alumina supported cobalt catalysts for ultimate generation of hydrogen from hydrazine

The performance of noble metal promoted-Co/gamma-Al2O3 bimetallic catalysts was examined for efficient H-2 generation from hydrazine decomposition. Ruthenium, platinum and palladium were chosen as promotor metals (M) to prepare three series of bimetallic catalysts (CoMx/gamma-Al2O3) via wet impregnation method. Promoting role of each noble metal was studied using various techniques like XRD, AAS, SEM, EDX, N-2 adsorption, H-2 chemisorption, TPR, and TPO. In bimetallic catalysts, all noble metals induced significant promoting effect by increasing H-2 selectivity similar to 12 times as compared to that of alone Co/gamma-Al2O3 catalyst. The catalytic activity was found strongly dependent on both the active metal contents and the type of promoters. The best performance was achieved for Co/gamma-Al2O3 with the lowest activation energy (29.14 kJ mol(-1)) and highest H-2 selectivity (100%) in hydrazine decomposition at room temperature. (C) 2020 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.