Elucidating the rate-determining step of ammonia decomposition on Ru-based catalysts using ab initio-grounded microkinetic modeling

Decarbonizing the current energy system requires a shift toward renewable energy sources, among which ammonia is a remarkable hydrogen carrier. However, developing an efficient process for the catalytic decomposition of ammonia is still required. Here, we propose a combined modeling-experimental approach to elucidate the rate-determining step in ammonia decomposition on Ru-based catalysts. We characterize and test two supported Ru and Ru-K catalysts in the reaction. We develop several microkinetic models based on ab initio calculations considering different rate-determining steps and validate them with the results of packed bed experiments. For the method validation, we develop a fitting strategy based on modifying the lowest number of parameters from those initially obtained theoretically. A good agreement between the simulated and measured experimental ammonia conversions is obtained, thus widening our understanding of this critical hydrogen production process. The approach presented here allows distinguishing the rate-determining step accurately, and it could be applied to other catalytic systems used in ammonia decomposition to avoid over-relying on empirical models.