Selective hydrogenation of furfural over Pt based and Pd based bimetallic catalysts supported on modified multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNT)

Nano-Pt and Nano-Pd particles were introduced to modified multiwalled carbon nanotubes via co-impregnation method for hydrogenation of furfural in liquid phase using ethanol as a solvent. Different transition metal (Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni) was used as promoters using Pt/MWNT and Pd/MWNT catalysts and various supports were also compared to further investigate the hydrogenation process of furfural. Among the catalysts investigated, Pt-Fe/MWNT (Pt: 0.5 wt%) showed highest conversion and selectivity to furfuryl alcohol (yield of 87.4%), while Pd-Ni/MWNT (Pd: 0.5 wt%) catalysts exhibited the best catalytic performance (83.3% yield of tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol) under the optimized conditions of 30 bar hydrogen and 5 h, at 100 and 130 degrees C, respectively. Synergistic effect of bimetallic catalysts has been utilized to improve catalytic activity and stability. The extremely active for the selective hydrogenation of furfural over Pt-Fe/MWNT and Pd-Ni/MWNT catalyst might be attributed to active crystal planes exposed over Pt and Pd promoted by Fe and Ni. Catalysts have shown stable activity and selectivity after 5 cycles using Pt-Fe/MWNT and Pd-Ni/MWNT catalysts. Moreover, we suggest that acid sites of conventional supports might have an impact on furfural conversion.