Influence of chemical and physical surface heterogeneity on chemical reaction equilibria in carbon micropores

Recent simulation results are presented for the equilibrium yield of the ammonia synthesis reaction in various model microporous carbons. It is found that the reaction equilibria within the micropores is affected by many factors, including pore size, pore shape, connectivity, surface roughness, and surface chemical activation. In order to probe these effects, reactive Monte Carlo simulations of the reaction were performed in several microporous carbon models: smooth slit-shaped carbon pores, a realistic carbon model generated from experimental diffraction data, single-walled carbon nanotubes, and smooth slit-shaped pores activated by carboxyl surface groups. The simulations show that the ammonia conversion is most sensitive to the carbon pore width and to the amount of surface chemical activation. Effects of surface corrugation and pore connectivity on the equilibrium reaction yield are minimal.