Platinum Island-on-Copper-Nickel Alloy Nanoparticle/Carbon Trimetallic Nanocatalyst for Selective Hydrogenation of Cinnamaldehyde

Two series of catalysts, i.e., [Ni/C, Cu/C and CuNi/C] and [Pt-Ni/C, Pt-Cu/C and Pt-CuNi/C] were prepared by liquid phase chemical reduction and galvanic replacement, respectively. Pt/C was synthesized via an impregnation method. The nanostructures of these catalysts were tuned by being reduced in N-2 + H-2. Their nanostructures were characterized by TG, XPS, XRD, TEM, HRTEM and STEM-EDS elemental analysis techniques. The catalysts, which had unique nanostructures resulted from the loading of platinum islands on the transition metal related nanoparticles (i.e., Pt-Ni/C with Pt-on-Ni/Ni(OH)(2), Pt-Cu/C-reduced with Pt-on-Cu/CuO, Pt-CuNi/C-reduced with Pt-on-CuNi alloy), exhibited much more excellent catalytic performance (conversion of cinnamaldehyde: 100.0%, selectivity to cinnamyl alcohol: 62.9%, 64.6% and 72.6%, respectively) than the catalysts with platinum-transition metal alloy structure (e.g. Pt-Ni/C-reduced with PtNi alloy) and transition metal/carbon for the selective hydrogenation of cinnamaldehyde (80 degrees C, 5.0 MPa H-2, 1 h). The Pt-CuNi/C-reduced catalyst also showed superior stability in cinnamaldehyde hydrogenation. The outstanding performance of Pt-Ni/C, Pt-Cu/C-reduced and Pt-CuNi/C-reduced catalysts for cinnamaldehyde hydrogenation was attributed to the synergistic effect and interaction of platinum and non-noble metal related nanoparticles. [GRAPHICS] .

Automated summary

Two series of catalysts with tuned nanostructures exhibited much more excellent catalytic performance than catalysts with platinum-transition metal alloy structures and transition metal/carbon for the selective hydrogenation of cinnamaldehyde. The Pt-CuNi/C-reduced catalyst also showed superior stability in cinnamaldehyde hydrogenation.