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A density functional theory study of hydrocarbon combustion and synthesis on Ni surfaces
University of Borås, Faculty of Textiles, Engineering and Business.
University of Borås, Faculty of Textiles, Engineering and Business.
University of Borås, Faculty of Textiles, Engineering and Business.
2015 (English)In: Journal of Molecular Modeling, ISSN 1610-2940, E-ISSN 0948-5023, Vol. 21, no 3Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Combustion and synthesis of hydrocarbons may occur directly (CH → C + H and CO → C + O) or via a formyl (CHO) intermediate. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed to calculate the activation and reaction energies of these reactions on Ni(111), Ni(110), and Ni(100) surfaces. The results show that the energies are sensitive to the surface structure. The dissociation barrier for methylidyne (CH → C + H: catalytic hydrocarbon combustion) is lower than that for its oxidation reaction (CH + O → CHO) on the Ni(110) and Ni(100) surfaces. However the oxidation barrier is lower than that for dissociation on the Ni(111) surface. The dissociation barrier for methylidyne dissociation decreases in the order Ni(111) > Ni(100) > Ni(110). The barrier of formyl dissociation to CO and H is almost the same on the Ni(111) and Ni(110) surfaces and is lower compared to the Ni(100) surface. The energy barrier for carbon monoxide dissociation (CO → C + O: catalytic hydrocarbon synthesis) is higher than that of for its hydrogenation reaction (CO + H → CHO) on all three surfaces. This means that the hydrogenation to CHO is favored on these nickel surfaces. The energy barrier for both reactions decreases in the order Ni(111) > Ni(100) > Ni(110). The barrier for formyl dissociation to CH + O decreases in the order Ni(100) > Ni(111) > Ni(110). Based on these DFT calculations, the Ni(110) surface shows a better catalytic activity for hydrocarbon combustion compared to the other surfaces, and Ni is a better catalyst for the combustion reaction than for hydrocarbon synthesis, where the reaction rate constants are small. The reactions studied here support the BEP principles with R2 values equal to 0.85 for C-H bond breaking/forming and 0.72 for C-O bond breaking /forming reactions.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Springer Berlin/Heidelberg, 2015. Vol. 21, no 3
Keywords [en]
DFT, Hydrocarbon combustion, Hydrocarbon synthesis, Nickel
National Category
Engineering and Technology
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:hb:diva-264DOI: 10.1007/s00894-015-2590-8ISI: 000349970900010Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-84923005864OAI: oai:DiVA.org:hb-264DiVA, id: diva2:826439
Available from: 2015-06-25 Created: 2015-06-25 Last updated: 2018-11-26Bibliographically approved
In thesis
1. Computational studies of nickel catalysed reactions relevant for hydrocarbon gasification
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Computational studies of nickel catalysed reactions relevant for hydrocarbon gasification
2015 (English)Doctoral thesis, comprehensive summary (Other academic)
Abstract [en]

Sustainable energy sources are of great importance, and will become even more important in the future. Gasification of biomass is an important process for utilization of biomass, as a renewable energy carrier, to produce fuels and chemicals. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were used to investigate i) the effect of co-adsorption of water and CO on the Ni(111) catalysed water splitting reaction, ii) water adsorption and dissociation on Ni(111), Ni(100) and Ni(110) surfaces, as well as iii) formyl oxidation and dissociation, iv) hydrocarbon combustion and synthesis, and v) the water gas shift (WGS) reaction on these surfaces.

The results show that the structures of an adsorbed water molecule and its splitting transition state are significantly changed by co-adsorption of a CO molecule on the Ni(111) surface. This leads to less exothermic reaction energy and larger activation barrier in the presence of CO which means that far fewer water molecules will dissociate in the presence of CO.

For the adsorption and dissociation of water on different Ni surfaces, the binding energies for H2O and OH decrease in the order Ni(110) > Ni(100) > Ni(111), and the binding energies for O and H atoms decrease in the order Ni(100) > Ni(111) > Ni(110). In total, the complete water dissociation reaction rate decreases in the order Ni(110) > Ni(100) > Ni(111).

The reaction rates for both formyl dissociation to CH + O and to CO + H decrease in the order Ni(110) > Ni(111) > Ni(100). However, the dissociation to CO + H is kinetically favoured. The oxidation of formyl has the lowest activation energy on the Ni(111) surface.

For combustion and synthesis of hydrocarbons, the Ni(110) surface shows a better catalytic activity for hydrocarbon combustion compared to the other surfaces. Calculations show that Ni is a better catalyst for the combustion reaction compared to the hydrocarbon synthesis, where the reaction rate constants are small.

It was found that the WGS reaction occurs mainly via the direct pathway with the CO + O → CO2 reaction as the rate limiting step on all three surfaces. The activation barrier obtained for this rate limiting step decreases in the order Ni(110) > Ni(111) > Ni(100). Thus, the WGS reaction is fastest on the Ni(100) surface if O species are present on the surfaces. However, the barrier for desorption of water (as the source of the O species) is lower than its dissociation reaction on the Ni(111) and Ni(100) surfaces, but not on the Ni(110) surface. Therefore the direct pathway on the Ni(110) surface will dominate and will be the rate limiting step at low H2O(g) pressures. The calculations also reveal that the WGS reaction does not primarily occur via the formate pathway, since this species is a stable intermediate on all surfaces.

All reactions studied in this work support the Brønsted-Evans-Polanyi (BEP) principles.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Borås: Högskolan i Borås, 2015. p. 56
Series
Skrifter från Högskolan i Borås, ISSN 0280-381X ; 60
Keywords
DFT, H2O, CO, adsorption, dissociation, formyl, hydrocarbon combustion, hydrocarbon synthesis, water gas shift, gasification, Ni(111), Ni(110), Ni(100)
National Category
Engineering and Technology
Research subject
Resource Recovery
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:hb:diva-323 (URN)978-91-87525-67-4 (ISBN)978-91-87525-68-1 (ISBN)
Public defence
2015-09-29, E310, University of Borås, Allégatan 1, Borås, 10:00 (English)
Available from: 2015-09-03 Created: 2015-06-29 Last updated: 2015-12-18Bibliographically approved

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Mohsenzadeh, AbasRichards, TobiasBolton, Kim

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