Mo-Doped Ni/C Catalyst for Improved Simultaneous Production of Hydrogen and Carbon Nanotubes through Ethanol Decomposition

Abstract

A Mo-Ni/C catalyst was developed and assessed in terms of the decomposition of ethanol to produce multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and hydrogen. The catalyst utilized different molar ratios of Mo:Ni (1:9, 2:8, and 3:7), with Mo acting as a dopant to enhance the MWCNT yield and Ni acting as the primary active phase for MWCNT formation. Among the tested ratios, the 2:8 Mo:Ni ratio exhibited the optimal performance, yielding 86% hydrogen and high-quality MWCNTs. In addition to hydrogen, the process also generated CO, CH4, and CO2. Gas chromatography (GC) was employed to analyze the influence of the Mo:Ni ratio on gas production and selectivity, while the quality of the resulting MWCNTs was evaluated using SEM, Raman spectroscopy, and TEM analyses.