Carbon-Based Ruthenium Catalyst for NH3 Synthesis. Effect of Carbon Treatment

The effect of the complex carbon treatment (in sequence: preliminary high temperature heating in an inert atmosphere, partial gasification in CO2 and final heating) on its texture and the activity of the resultant Ba-promoted ruthenium catalysts in NH3 synthesis was studied. Both the preliminary and final heating steps lead mainly to the disappearance of small pores, the effect of the latter step being smaller. In contrast, the gasification (34.0%) in CO2 develops the pore structure of the support. The Ba-Ru/C catalysts proved to be very active and stable in NH3 synthesis (p = 63 bar, T = 400 graduate C, xNH3 = 8%), especially those supported on the carbons of well developed texture.