Silica supported transition metal-based bimetallic catalysts for vapour phase selective hydrogenation of furfuraldehyde

A series of silica supported transition metal-based bimetallic catalysts M-M-1/SiO2 (M = Co, Ni, and Cu; M-1 = Ni, Cu, and Co) were prepared by deposition precipitation method. Nitrate salts of the corresponding transition metals and colloidal silica were used as precursors. The physicochemical characteristics of the prepared catalysts were investigated by means of X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetry, FT-infrared, scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray analysis, and BET surface area techniques. These catalysts were evaluated for selective hydrogenation of furfuraldehyde to furfuryl alcohol in the vapour phase at 423-523 K under normal atmospheric pressure. The XRD measurements reveal formation of a specific solid solution in the case of Cu-Co/SiO2 and Co-Ni/SiO, catalysts. However, in the case of Cu-Ni/SiO2 catalyst only peaks due to CuO and NiO oxides were observed. The SEM measurements suggest that the prepared bimetallic catalysts are in a highly dispersed form over the surface of the colloidal silica support. Among various catalysts investigated, the Cu-Co/SiO2 and Ni-Cu/SiO2 combination catalysts exhibited a high conversion at 523 K and maximum product selectivity at 473 K. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.