Improving the Stability of Molybdenum Carbide Catalysts for Fuel Reforming

提出的研究目的是确定和量化导致碳化物氧化的条件，并研究促进剂和促进载体的使用，以提高这些催化剂的稳定性。由于碳化钼在其他领域的广泛应用，该项目将只关注碳化钼催化剂。由于催化剂的稳定性很可能高度依赖于氧化还原化学，因此拟议研究的第一阶段将侧重于确定反应物/产物组成对通过各种方法合成的大块碳化钼催化剂的氧化动力学的影响，以产生相对较高的单位质量表面积。由于过量的合成碳会导致后续的焦化问题，因此将执行催化剂合成方案，以控制或消除过量的碳。方法将包括动态x射线衍射和TGA/MS实验（在重整条件下），结合适当的催化剂表征技术（FTIR， XPS, SEM/TEM）。在第二阶段的工作中，PI将研究通过使用负载型碳化钼催化剂来增加催化剂稳定性范围的方法，并用氧缓冲液（curia）促进。在项目的这一阶段要研究的参数将包括载体的特性（表面积、酸度）、催化剂合成方法和催化剂/促进剂负载。这个项目有可能为燃料电池提供更有效的氢制造途径。

The objective of the proposed research is to identify and quantify the conditions that lead to carbide oxidation and to investigate the use of promoters and promoted supports to improve the stability of these catalysts. Because of its widespread use in other applications, the project will focus only on molybdenum carbide catalysts. Since it is likely that catalyst stability is highly dependent on redox chemistry, the first stage of the proposed research will focus on determining the effects of reactant/product compositions on the oxidation kinetics of bulk molybdenum carbide catalysts synthesized by various methods to produce relatively high surface areas per unit mass. Since excess synthesis carbon can lead to subsequent coking problems, the catalyst synthesis protocol will be carried out so that excess carbon can be controlled or eliminated. The methodology will consist of dynamic x-ray diffraction and TGA/MS experiments (at reforming conditions), combined with appropriate catalyst characterization techniques (FTIR, XPS, SEM/TEM). In the second stage of the proposed work, the PI will investigate methods to increase the range of catalyst stability through the use of supported molybdenum carbide catalysts, promoted with an in oxygen buffer (curia). Parameters to be investigated in this phase of the project will include the characteristics of the support (surface area, acidity), the catalyst synthesis methodology and the catalyst/promoter loading. This project has the potential to provide a more efficient route for making hydrogen for fuel cells.