EFFECT OF SURFACE FUNCTIONAL GROUPS ATTACHED TO CARBON NANOTUBES USED AS SUPPORT OF NICKEL CATALYSTS ON THEIR STRUCTURE AND CATALYTIC PERFORMANCE FOR AMMONIA DECOMPOSITION

Four multi-wall carbon nanotubes with different functional groups, SWCNTs and graphene were used as nickel catalyst support. The supported nickel catalysts were characterised by XPS, XRD and TPR techniques. The characterisation techniques showed that carbon nanotube surface functional groups have no significant influence on the size of nickel species and phase composition. Nickel reducibility was slightly affected by the carbon nanotubes with different functional groups. Ammonia decomposition reaction tests have shown that catalysts supported on carbon nanotubes with different functional groups have close activity per gram catalyst, however if we take into account the weight content of different functional groups in the used carrier the -NH2 group is leading to the preparation of most active catalysts.