Effect of the Nature of a Textural Promoter on the Catalytic Properties of a Nickel-Copper Catalyst for Hydrocarbon Processing in the Production of Carbon Nanofibers

The results from research on developing and optimizing a method for preparing a catalyst designed for hydrocarbon processing in order to produce carbon materials are presented. The chosen method of catalyst preparation is the mechanochemical activation of a mixture of metal oxides in a planetary mill, allowing the single-stage preparation of a rich (up to 90-95 wt % of the active component) oxide catalysts without the formation of waste and hazardous gases during calcination. A textural promoter is used to stabilize these catalysts, preventing disperse metal particles from sintering at the high temperatures of carbon material synthesis. Ways of selecting the textural promoter and optimizing the conditions for preparing an oxide precursor for a nickel-copper catalyst are discussed.