An XPS Study of the Promotion of Ru-Cs/Sibunit Catalysts for Ammonia Synthesis

Abstract

The nature of surface cesium compounds in cesium-modified ruthenium-Sibunit catalysts for ammonia synthesis was studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). It was found that, on the reduction of promoted catalysts, cesium was incorporated into the micropores of Sibunit to form quasi-intercalation cesium-carbon bonds. In this case, the chemical state of cesium was close to its state in cesium suboxides. The subsequent interaction with atmospheric oxygen resulted in the oxidation of cesium, which occurred as cesium peroxide and cesium superoxide in the oxidized samples. Ruthenium occurred in a metallic state in the reduced samples. The activity of a Ru-Cs+/C(1) sample was higher than that of inactive Ru-Cs+/C(2). This is a consequence of the higher surface concentration of ruthenium, which is most likely due to an increase in the dispersity of metal particles, as well as of the higher probability of the interaction between the promoter and the active component due to a symbatic increase in the surface concentrations of both ruthenium and cesium.