| Summary: | Ammonia decomposition to hydrogen technique is an effectively way to solve the problems associated with the storage and transportation of hydrogen, but the development of a high-performance catalyst for ammonia decomposition is a great challenge. Ni species supported on activated attapulgite clay (AATP) is prepared by a homogeneous precipitation method for ammonia decomposition to CO<i><sub>x</sub></i>-free H<sub>2</sub>. The structural properties of the Ni/AATP catalysts are characterized by thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, H<sub>2</sub> temperature-programmed reduction, and N<sub>2</sub> sorption technique. It is revealed that the porous structure and high surface area of rod-like symmetric AATP results in highly dispersed NiO particles because the presence of a strong interaction between AATP and NiO particles. In particular, the Si-OH in AATP can react with Ni species, forming Si-O-Ni species at the interface between Ni and AATP. The Ni/AAPT catalysts are used for ammonia decomposition, the 20%-Ni/ATTP catalyst shows a 95.3% NH<sub>3</sub> conversion with 31.9 mmol min<sup>−1</sup> g<sub>cat</sub><sup>−1</sup> H<sub>2</sub> formation rate at 650 °C. This study opens a new way to utilize natural minerals as an efficient support of catalysts towards ammonia decomposition reaction.
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