Nano Nickel Particles for Hydrogenation
New information was published in advanced functional materials. A team is being led by Wang Guozhong. He is from the Hefei Institute of physical science of the Chinese Academy of sciences. His team is working on a new catalyst design for industrial applications. They have developed a new way to precisely control the size of nickel (Ni) particles in a catalyst. This improves the performance of hydrogenation reactions.
Catalysts are important in accelerating chemical reactions without being consumed. The size of the metal particles is consequential for influencing their performance. Large Ni particles have more high coordination, specially locales that facilitate hydrogen disassociation. Small Ni particles have low coordination sites that enhance reactant adsorption. Precise control over particle size is a huge challenge to scientists.
The study synthesized mesoporous silica. It used a methodology that adjusted the molar ratio of ethylene diamine (EDA) to Ni. This created an Ni/MS catalyst with varying Ni particles.
The team used a myriad of experimental and theoretical approaches. They analyzed the size variations and the impact of the hydrogenation process on vanillin. Vanillin is a key reaction in fine chemical production. Researchers optimized catalyst performance and product selectivity by adjusting particle size.
The team proved that low coordinated Ni atoms enhance reactant adsorption. They also proved high coordinated Ni atoms, promote efficient, hydrogen disassociation.
This discovery provides a new way to optimize catalyst design.

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