NO₂ catalytic removal by nickel catalyst supported on multi-walled carbon nanotubes

ABSTRACT

In this study, nickel-based catalyst supported on multi-walled carbon nanotube (Ni/MWCNT) was synthesized and used in NO₂ removal from polluted air. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Distribution Spectrum (EDS), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and H₂-Temperature-Programmed Reduction (H₂-TPR) were used to determine the characteristics of the synthesized Ni/MWCNT catalysts and multi-walled carbon Nanotube. To Optimize the catalytic process, the effects of space velocities (15,000–25,000 hr⁻¹), NO₂ concentrations (3000–5000 ppm) and temperatures (150–450°C) were investigated on the NO₂ removal efficiency. The highest NO₂ removal efficiency was 96% by using 20% Wt of nickel-based supported on the MWCNT (20% Ni/MWCNTs) at temperature of 450°C, NO₂ concentration of 3000 ppm and space velocity of 15,000 hr⁻¹. Our findings indicated that increasing space velocity from 15,000 to 25,000 hr⁻¹ did not have a strict effect on removal efficiency. Increasing temperature from 150 to 450°C led to increase in removal efficiency of about 20%.

KEYWORDS:

• Multi-walled carbon nanotube
• nitrogen dioxides
• nickel
• air pollution
• catalytic reaction

Acknowledgements

This paper is based on the first author’s M.Sc. thesis. All the authors would like to thank the Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran, for the financial support of this research (Grant No. 970121160).

Disclosure statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest.

Notes

1. Full width half maxima