The cooperation effect of Ni and Pt in the hydrogenation of acetic acid

The catalytic hydrogenation of carboxylic acid to alcohols is one of the important strategies for the conversion of biomass. Herein, a series of Ni-doped PtSn catalysts were prepared, characterized and studied in the hydrogenation of acetic acid. The Ni dopant has a strong interaction with Pt, which promotes the hydrogen adsorption, providing an activated hydrogen-rich environment for the hydrogenation. Meanwhile, the presence of Ni also improves the Pt dispersion, giving more accessible active sites for hydrogen activation. The cooperation of Pt and Ni significantly promotes the catalytic activity of the hydrogenation of acetic acid to ethanol. As a result, the catalyst with 0.1% Ni exhibits the best reaction activity, and its space time yield is twice as that of the PtSn/SiO2 catalyst. It provides a meaningful instruction on the catalyst design for the carboxylic acid hydrogenation.