Methane Decomposition on the Surface of Molybdenum Nanoparticles at Room Temperature

The decomposition of methane on molybdenum nanoparticles was studied experimentally at room temperature. The molybdenum nanoparticles were synthesized in the gas phase using UV laser photolysis of Mo(CO)6 vapor in a flow reactor. The working part of the flow reactor was equipped with quartz windows for introducing the radiation from a pulsed Nd:YaG laser operating at the fourth harmonic (266 nm) at a frequency of 10 Hz. Methane was used as a carrier gas. As a result of irradiation of a mixture of methane with Mo(CO)6 vapors in the gas phase at room temperature, nanoparticles with sizes of 2–50 nm were synthesized. The phase composition of the nanoparticles included pure molybdenum, molybdenum carbide Mo2C, and molybdenum oxide MoO3. During the reaction, the hydrogen yield was measured with a VG-7 highly sensitive hydrogen analyzer based on a semiconductor metal–dielectric sensor. The measured H2 concentration varied from 5 to 25 ppm depending on the concentration of Mo(CO)6. The possibility of methane decomposition on molybdenum nanoparticles at room temperature was discussed based on the obtained data.