Catalyst compositions for ammonia decomposition

1. A method for ammonia decomposition to produce hydrogen, the method comprising the steps of:

introducing a flow of hydrogen gas to the reactor;

increasing a temperature in the reactor to 500° C. at a rate of 2° C. per minute, wherein the reactor comprises a cobalt-based catalyst, the cobalt-based catalyst comprising:

15 wt % and 70 wt % of cobalt,

5 wt % and 45 wt % of cerium, and

0.4 wt % and 0.5 wt % barium, wherein a remainder of weight of the cobalt-based catalyst is oxygen;

maintaining the temperature in the reactor at 500° C. for at least 3 hours to activate metal sites on the cobalt-based catalyst;

introducing an ammonia stream to the reactor, wherein the ammonia stream comprises ammonia;

contacting the ammonia in the ammonia stream with the cobalt-based catalyst at temperature in a range between 250-700° C. to decompose the ammonia, wherein the cobalt-based catalyst is operable to catalyze an ammonia decomposition reaction;

catalyzing the ammonia decomposition reaction to cause the ammonia decomposition in the presence of the cobalt-based catalyst to produce hydrogen; and

withdrawing a product stream from the reactor, the product stream comprising hydrogen.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein a pressure in the reactor is in a range between 1 bar and 40 bar.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the product stream further comprises nitrogen.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the conversion of ammonia is greater than 95%.