Silicon carbide (β-SiC) was synthesized through an improved sol–gel method, then Ni/SiC catalysts were prepared using a hydrothermal method. The catalysts were characterized using TEM, H2- TPR, CO2- TPD and N2- TPD, etc. The results showed that the synthesized β-SiC had a large specific surface area, promoting the dispersion of Ni species and thus exposing more active sites. The interaction between Ni species and β-SiC contributed significantly to catalytic performance. Furthermore, the strong alkalinity of catalyst could adjust the bond energy of the active metal and N (M–N), which were conducive to desorption of the recombinant N2 from the metal surface, promoting to ammonia decomposition. Among the Ni/SiC catalysts, 30Ni/SiC-700 synthesized with the Ni loading of 30 wt% and calcination temperature of 700 °C, exhibited the optimal ammonia conversion rate of 93.4% at 600 °C under the space speed of 30,000 mL∙gcat −1∙h−1, and demonstrated a long-term stability, suggesting a very promising catalyst in ammonia decomposition.

Preparation of silicon carbide supported nickel catalyst with enhanced catalytic activity for ammonia decomposition
    Abstract
    1 Introduction
    2 Experimental section
        2.1 Materials
        2.2 Catalysts synthesis
            2.2.1 Synthesis of β-SiC
            2.2.2 Synthesis of xNiSiC-700 catalysts
            2.2.3 Synthesis of 30NiSiC-T catalysts
    3 Results and discussion
        3.1 Catalyst characterizations
        3.2 Catalytic performances of the catalysts
    4 Conclusion
    Acknowledgements 
    References

• Xiantong Yu(Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Catalytic Materials and Technology, School of Petrochemical Engineering, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164, China)
• Gideon Kofie(Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Catalytic Materials and Technology, School of Petrochemical Engineering, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164, China)
• Fengxiang Yin(Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Catalytic Materials and Technology, School of Petrochemical Engineering, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164, China, Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center of Intelligent Manufacturing Technology for the New Energy Vehicle Power Battery, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164, China)
• Jie Zhang(Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center of Intelligent Manufacturing Technology for the New Energy Vehicle Power Battery, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164, China, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China)
• Qinjun Deng(Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Catalytic Materials and Technology, School of Petrochemical Engineering, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164, China)
• Guoru Li(Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Catalytic Materials and Technology, School of Petrochemical Engineering, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164, China, Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center of Intelligent Manufacturing Technology for the New Energy Vehicle Power Battery, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164, China)
• Yuhang Tan(Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Catalytic Materials and Technology, School of Petrochemical Engineering, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164, China)
• Gongheng Zhang(Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Catalytic Materials and Technology, School of Petrochemical Engineering, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164, China)
• Biaohua Chen(Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Catalytic Materials and Technology, School of Petrochemical Engineering, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164, China)