Enhanced ammonia synthesis activity of carbon-supported Mo catalyst by Mo carburization.

It is urgent to develop new efficient ammonia synthesis catalysts using non-precious metals. Herein, the Mo 2 C species is introduced into a carbon-supported Mo catalyst by in situ carburization of a carbon-supported Mo catalyst in H 2 . In combination with the presence of the Mo 2 C phase as well as the enhancement of the graphitization degree of carbon and the amount of the low-valent Mo species, the migration and the exchange of the adsorbed species with the gaseous species are accelerated. As a result, the catalyst with carbonization treatment shows higher ammonia synthesis activity than the sample without carbonization, and the ill effect of the poisoning of reagent gases also is alleviated.