Bimetallic NiCo/AC Catalysts with a Strong Coupling Effect for High-Efficiency Hydrogenation of N-Ethylcarbazole

Liquid organic hydrogen carrier technology (LOHC) is considered to be the most promising solution for hydrogen storage and transport, but its development is limited by the high cost of noble metal catalysts. In this paper, four kinds of Ni/Co bimetallic catalysts with different proportions were prepared by the impregnation method. The effects of the Ni/Co molar ratio and the reduction temperature on the hydrogenation performance of N-ethylcarbazole (NEC) were studied. The relationship between the structure and the properties of the catalyst was discussed by combining various characterization methods. The results show that when cobalt is added to 50%, the hydrogenation activity is the most significant. Meanwhile, 100% of NEC conversion and 98.99% of 12H-NEC selectivity were achieved. The hydrogenation capacity is 5.77 wt %, when the catalyst reduction temperature is 450 °C. The characterizations show that the two metals are uniformly doped and highly dispersed with a good pore structure, and the metal particles have good alloy morphology. The synergistic interaction between Ni/Co metals is the key factor for the remarkable catalytic activity of the catalyst. The design and application of highly efficient nonprecious metal hydrogenation catalysts provide more feasibility to promote the commercial development of liquid organic hydrogen carrier technology.