Ammonia decomposition Ru catalysts supported on alumina nanofibers for hydrogen generation.

[Display omitted] • One-dimensional materials as supports for ammonia decomposition (AD) catalysts. • The coating of alumina nanofibers (ANF) by carbon increases TOF by 2 times. • The introduction of cesium to the carbon coated ANF increases TOF by 6 times. • The coating of ANF by carbon is very favorable for high activity of ruthenium in AD. The study of ruthenium catalysts for ammonia decomposition on carbonized and noncarbonized Al 2 O 3 nanofibers (ANF) showed that activity of the catalysts with carbonized supports (ANFC) was twofold higher as compared to noncarbonized ones. Thus, on Ru/ANFC and Ru-Cs/ANFC the release of hydrogen reached 8.7 and 18.3 mmol H 2 /(min·g cat), respectively, whereas on Ru/ANF and Ru-Cs/ANF, only 4.4 and 9.6 mmol H 2 /(min·g cat), respectively. According to TEM, Ru particles on ANFC have a greater size than on ANF but are distributed more uniformly. As shown by TEM, XRD and XPS data, ANFC and ANF fibers are strongly different. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]