Synthesis of Ru nanoparticles confined in magnesium oxide-modified mesoporous alumina and their enhanced catalytic performance during ammonia decomposition

Abstract

In this work, Ru nanoparticles confined in the channels of ordered mesoporous alumina (MA) and magnesium oxide-modified ordered MA are prepared for the first time via a two-solvent technique, combined with the amorphous citrate route. Structural characterizations reveal that uniform 2-3 nm Ru nanoparticles are highly dispersed in the blockage-free channels of mesoporous supports. The Ru nanoparticles confined in MA modified with 20% molar ratio magnesium oxide exhibited a high catalytic activity and stability during ammonia decomposition due to the optimized particle size, basic support, lack of chlorine, and confined space provided by the channels of the mesoporous supports. © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.