Nickel Catalyzed Conversion of Activated Carbon into Porous Silicon Carbide

Abstract

ABSTRACTHigh surface area silicon carbide (SiC) of 31 m2/g has been synthesized by the catalytic conversion of activated carbon. The thermal stability in non-oxidizing environments is shown to be excellent; no significant sintering has been observed after ageing in nitrogen for 4 hours at 1273 K. The presence of 2v% steam or the use of air results in SiC oxidation into SiO2 and considerable sintering at 1273 K. Air oxidation of SiC is shown to cause substantial SiC conversion, viz. 60 % after 10 hours at 1273 K. Complete conversion is achieved at 1080 K in about 100 days. This rate of oxidation agrees with reports on the oxidation of non-porous Acheson SiC and Chemical Vapour Deposited SiC coatings. The use of SiC based catalysts is, therefore, limited to (1) high temperature gas phase reactions operating in the absence of oxidizing constituents (O2 or H2O) and (2) liquid phase processes at demanding pH. Syntheses of highly dispersed and highly loaded Ni/SiC catalysts are feasible by applying an ion-exchange technique, resulting in supported nickel particles of 4 nm.