Synthesis and catalytic properties of nickel-silica composite hollow nanospheres

A coating process was applied to prepare nickel-silica composite hollow nanospheres (650 nm) with controllable shell thickness. The nanospheres were characterized through X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and field emission scanning electron microscopy. This material with large BET surface area (288 m(2)/g) exhibits good catalytic activity and high selectivity in acetone hydrogenation reaction, showing the potential application as a catalyst in industry.