The XT 20% Nickel on Vulcan XC-72R Grade S catalyst manufactured by Fuel Cells ETC is a fine powder that can be used as an electrocatalyst in electrochemical devices and as a heterogeneous catalyst for the synthesis of various organics, such as:
- Hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) for alkaline water electrolyzers or AEM-based alkaline electrolyzers,
- Anode and/or cathode electrodes for alkaline fuel cells (hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) and oxygen reduction reaction(ORR)),
- Hydrogenation of nitroarenes (such as the synthesis of anilines and cyclohexylamines),
- Reductive amination and nitrile hydrogenation,
- Hydrogenolysis and hydrodeoxygenation of aryl ethers,
- Hydrogenation of phenolics and aromatics,
- Sabatier reaction (CO/CO2 methanation),
- Furanics upgrading,
- Hydrodechlorination of chlorinated organics,
- Hydrolysis of ammonia borane, sodium borohydride, and other chemical hydrides to generate hydrogen gas,
- Urea oxidation reaction,
- Non-enzymatic electrochemical sensing
This product has a BET surface area of ~160-200 m²/gram. The average crystallite size for Ni nanoparticles is calculated as ~13.8 nm for this product. The average particle size for this supported catalyst material is ~38.4 microns.
20% Nickel on Vulcan XC-72R Grade S Technical Specification Sheet
| FCE Catalyst Properties | |
| Appearance | Fine, porous black powder |
| Molecular Formula | ~20 wt % Ni, ~80 wt % Vulcan carbon (XC72R) |
| Molecular Weight | Not applicable (heterogeneous composite) |
| Purity | > 99.9% (3N) |
| Particle Morphology | Aggregated clusters of primary Ni nanoparticles supported on high surface area carbon black |
| Average Particle Size | ~38.4 µm (D₅₀, Laser Diffraction) |
| Particle Size Range | 0 - 100 microns (measured with laser diffraction method) |
| BET Surface Area | ~160 - 200 m2/gram |
| Bulk Density | ~0.35 – 0.45 g cm⁻³ |
| Color | Black |
| Structure | Face-centered cubic (fcc) Nickel |
| Database Reference | COD Card No. (2102302); JCPDS No. (04-0850) |
| Space Group | Fm-3m |
| Secondary Phases | None detected (only amorphous carbon support) (via PXRD) |
| Instrument for Powder XRD | Instrument: Rigaku MiniFlex 300/600 Cu-Kα radiation (λ = 1.5406 Å | scan rate: 0.5°/min | step size: 0.02°(2θ), 2θ range: 10–80° | optics: Monochromator |
| Instrument for BET Surface Area Analysis | Anton Paar QuantaChrome NOVA |
| Adsorption Gas for BET Surface Area Analysis | N₂, Bath temperature: 77.3 K |
| Instrument for Particle Size Distribution (Laser Diffraction) | Beckman Coulter LS 13 320 |
| Medium/Fluid for Particle Size Distribution | 18 Megaohm DI-Water |
| Particle Size at D10 | ~18.81 µm (measured with laser diffraction method) |
| Particle Size at D25 | ~27.60 µm (measured with laser diffraction method) |
| Particle Size at D50 | ~38.44 µm (measured with laser diffraction method) |
| Particle Size at D75 | ~50.60 µm (measured with laser diffraction method) |
| Particle Size at D90 | ~62.71 µm (measured with laser diffraction method) |
