Non‐thermal plasma‐activated ammonia decomposition for hydrogen production: tuning CeO2 catalyst nanomorphology to enhance performance

Abstract

Non‐thermal plasma coupled with catalysts offers a promising route to improve ammonia‐to‐hydrogen conversion efficiency.This study integrates plasma discharge with morphology‐controlled CeO2 nanocrystals (fiber, cuboids‐S, cuboids‐L, nano‐rod,and pyramid) to enhance ammonia decomposition. Among them, CeO2 fiber achieves outstanding ammonia conversionexceeding 99.9% (SIE = 19.8 kJ L−1) without metal additives or external heating, while also demonstrating remarkable long‐term stability. Through combined microscopic, electrical, and Mass Spectrometry‐based transient analysis, it is revealed that thefibrous CeO2 structure increases the surface Ce3+ and oxygen vacancy concentration and provides balanced NH3 adsorption,boosting catalytic activity. Additionally, its favorable dielectric properties enhance plasma discharge and plasma−catalystinteractions. These results demonstrate that tuning catalyst nanostructure is an effective alternative to noble metal doping forefficient plasma‐driven catalysis.