Nickel

About: Nickel is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 79308 publications have been published within this topic receiving 1210058 citations. The topic is also known as: Ni & element 28.

Dry reforming of methane over Ni/La2O3 nanorod catalysts with stabilized Ni nanoparticles

Abstract: This paper describes the design of a Ni/La2O3 catalyst using La2O2CO3 nanorod as a support precursor (denoted as Ni/La2O3-LOC) via a wet impregnation method for dry reforming of methane (DRM). The results showed that La2O3 derived from the La2O2CO3 precursor maintained its initial morphology upon thermal treatment and could highly disperse Ni particles on it. Additionally, the nanorod-shaped support could provide more medium-strength basic sites to facilitate CO2 adsorption and activation on its surface. Consequently, the Ni/La2O3-LOC catalyst reached 70% of CH4 conversion and 75% of CO2 conversion at 700 °C after 50 h DRM reaction with a H2/CO ratio of 0.87. The enhanced metal-support interaction restricted the sintering of nickel particles under harsh reaction conditions. Coke evolution on the catalysts was also investigated to understand coke formation mechanism and the role of La2O2CO3 in coke elimination. It has been found that nickel dispersion can affect distribution of coke and La2O2CO3 on the surface of catalyst, both of which have a close relation with catalytic performance.

Switchable mirrors based on nickel–magnesium films

Abstract: A new type of electrochromic mirror electrode based on reversible uptake of hydrogen in nickel magnesium alloy films is reported. Thin,magnesium-rich Ni-Mg films prepared on glass substrates by cosputtering from Ni and Mg targets are mirror-like in appearance and have low visible transmittance. Upon exposure to hydrogen gas or on reduction in alkaline electrolyte, the films take up hydrogen and become transparent. When hydrogen is removed, the mirror properties are recovered. The transition is believed to result from reversible formation of Mg2NiH4 and MgH2. A thin overlayer of palladium was found to enhance the kinetics of hydrogen insertion and extraction,and to protect the metal surface against oxidation.

Nickel supported on nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes as hydrogen oxidation reaction catalyst in alkaline electrolyte

Abstract: The development of a low-cost, high-performance platinum-group-metal-free hydroxide exchange membrane fuel cell is hindered by the lack of a hydrogen oxidation reaction catalyst at the anode. Here we report that a composite catalyst, nickel nanoparticles supported on nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes, has hydrogen oxidation activity similar to platinum-group metals in alkaline electrolyte. Although nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes are a very poor hydrogen oxidation catalyst, as a support, it increases the catalytic performance of nickel nanoparticles by a factor of 33 (mass activity) or 21 (exchange current density) relative to unsupported nickel nanoparticles. Density functional theory calculations indicate that the nitrogen-doped support stabilizes the nanoparticle against reconstruction, while nitrogen located at the edge of the nanoparticle tunes local adsorption sites by affecting the d-orbitals of nickel. Owing to its high activity and low cost, our catalyst shows significant potential for use in low-cost, high-performance fuel cells.