Sepiolite, a clay mineral, was utilized as a support for nickel-based catalysts for COx-free hydrogen production from ammonia decomposition. First, the physical and chemical properties of sepiolite were changed by calcining it at temperatures varying from 500 to 1000 degrees C, then nickel was impregnated on these calcined supports and tested for ammonia decomposition at various temperatures following reduction at 650 degrees C. Results indicated that even though the catalysts contained almost the same amount of nickel, they showed different hydrogen production performance. Detailed characterization of the catalysts before and after reaction illustrated that the support obtained by calcining sepiolite at 700 degrees C shows good basic properties with a high surface area offering a high degree of nickel dispersion. These properties lead to promising hydrogen production rates which are on par, if not higher, than most of the nickel-based catalysts prepared on supports, which are either not cheap or require tedious preparation procedures. (C) 2018 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.