Study of I-/I2 Poisoning of Fe2O3-Based Catalysts for the H2SO4 Decomposition in the Sulphur-iodine Cycle for Hydrogen Production.

The poisoning effect of I-/I2 mixtures on ferrous oxide based catalysts was investigated. These catalysts were used in the sulfuric acid thermal decomposition that is the highest endothermic step in the sulfur-iodine thermochemical cycle for hydrogen production by water splitting. This decomposition reaction needs a temperature as high as 1100 K to occur with a convenient thermodynamic yield for SO2 formation, and it is affected by kinetic limitations. Therefore only the use of a suitable catalyst allows for a large decrease in the H2SO4 decomposition temperature and attaining reaction yields close to the thermodynamic limits. I2 and HI present even in traces in the sulfuric acid feeding stream could lead to the poisoning of the catalyst used for the decomposition process and must therefore be minimized. In this study, two Fe2O3 catalysts supported on quartz wool and on alumina were used in the temperature range 873-1073 K in ordinary pressure conditions. The SO2 formation rates were measured before and after the catalyst poisoning. Kinetics measurements and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis show that I-/I2 contamination reduced the catalytic activity by modifying its surface properties.