Effect of Magnetic Inducement in Preparation of Ni/Ce‐doped Al2O3 for Ammonia Decomposition

Abstract Catalytic activity of Ni catalysts for NH 3 decomposition can be enhanced by using Ce‐doped Al 2 O 3 support. Magnetic inducement during sol‐gel preparation of supports was studied to enhance the Ce dispersion in Al 2 O 3 framework. In this study, the same poles and different pole of magnetic arrangement were applied during the sol‐gel preparation. Ni catalysts over the supports were investigated for the NH 3 decomposition activity along with catalyst and support properties, including Ce dispersion in Al 2 O 3 framework, Ni dispersion, acidic sites, basic sites, and reaction kinetics. The magnetic inducement can control the Ce composition and uniformity in the Al 2 O 3 framework. The Ni/Ce‐doped Al 2 O 3 prepared under the same poles of magnetic inducement show significant improvements in Ni dispersion, and yield highest catalytic activity due to a high Ce composition and uniformity in the framework, as well as the high Lewis basic sites which enhance the limiting step of NH 3 decomposition. Thus, combination of the partial doping with magnetic inducement provides a novel approach with low cost to improve the activity of Ni catalyst without changing the reaction mechanism.