Understanding the impact of support materials on CoFe2O4 catalyst performance for hydrogen fuel and nanocarbon production via methane decomposition

This study focuses on assessing the performance and durability of three distinct catalysts, namely CoFe2O4/MgO and CoFe2O4/TiO2 and CoFe2O4/Al2O3 in the methane decomposition process. These catalysts were synthesized using a co-precipitation impregnation route. Their catalytic activity of methane decomposition was examined in a fixed-bed reactor at a temperature of 800 degrees C under atmospheric pressure. Various appropriate analytical techniques were employed to explore the physicochemical characteristics of both the fresh and spent catalysts. The SEM images, XRD and H-2-TPR results of fresh catalysts revealed strong dependence on the support type. The XPS results confirm the presence CoFe2O4 species on the surface of supports. The CoFe2O4/MgO catalyst has a higher inversion degree compared with other catalysts as confirmed from Raman results. The methane conversions at the end of the reaction time (300 min) were found to be 66 %, 34 % and 2.48 %, while the rates of hydrogen formation corresponding to these methane conversions are 134.73 x 10(-5), 68.25 x 10(-5) and 8.80 x 10(-5) mol H-2 g(-1) min(-1) for CoFe2O4/MgO and CoFe2O4/TiO2 and CoFe2O4/Al2O3 catalysts, respectively. SEM images verified the existence of filamentous carbon on the surface of the spent CoFe2O4/MgO catalyst, whereas the spent CoFe2O4/TiO2 catalyst showed a mix of carbon chunks and filaments and fluffy carbon over the CoFe2O4/Al2O3 catalyst. Ultimately, the quantity of deposited carbon was significantly associated with catalytic activity, as they were 56, 46 and 4 wt% for the spent CoFe2O4/MgO, CoFe2O4/TiO2 and CoFe2O4/Al2O3 catalysts, respectively.