Y-Doped BaCeO3 Perovskite-Supported Ru Catalysts for COx-Free Hydrogen Production from Ammonia: Effect of Strong Metal–Support Interactions

The development of highly efficient Ru-based catalysts for NH3 decomposition is necessary to enable the utilization of NH3 as a COx-free H2 carrier. Modulation of the interactions between the basic support materials and Ru particles significantly enhances the performance of Ru-based catalysts for NH3 decomposition. In this study, the strong metal–support interaction (SMSI) interface between the BaCeO3 perovskite support and Ru particles was controlled by yttrium (Y) doping in the range of 0–20 mol %. The substitution of Y3+ into Ce4+ sites improved the reducibility of the support for the removal of lattice oxygen atoms, which promoted the formation of the SMSI interface between the mobile oxygen-deficient suboxide supports and Ru particles. The Ru catalysts supported on Y-doped BaCeO3 exhibited superior activity compared to undoped and other representative Ru catalysts. Moreover, the SMSI shell encapsulating the Ru particles improved the stability of the Y-doped Ru catalyst. This comprehensive study demonstrates that the enhancement in catalytic performance is attributable to facilitated N2 desorption, which is the rate-limiting step for NH3 decomposition over Ru-based catalysts, via the formation of the SMSI interface. These research findings show that the control of the SMSI interface is a promising strategy for designing highly active catalysts to be used in NH3 decomposition.