Synergistic Catalysis for Efficient Hydrogenolysis of Cellulose to Ethylene Glycol over Multifunctional Ni@C/WOx

As a major constituent of renewable biomass, conversion of cellulose to high-value chemicals presents a promising strategy. Herein, we designed a multifunctional Ni@C/WOx catalyst for direct cellulose conversion to ethylene glycol. This catalyst exhibited excellent stability while achieving a high ethylene glycol yield (69.4%). Graphene-encapsulated metal Ni stabilized hydrogenation activity and minimized metal leaching. The interaction between Ni@C and WOx facilitated the reduction of WOx and increased the formation of W5+ species. Characterization by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), NH3-TPD, and Py-IR confirmed that W5+ formation induces oxygen vacancies and acid sites on the catalyst support surface. At 30% Ni loading, strong metal–support interactions maximized the W5+ concentration and oxygen vacancy, enhancing the C–C bond cleavage efficiency. Consequently, the synergistic effect between Ni@C and WOx effectively facilitates key steps in cellulose conversion to ethylene glycol: cellulose hydrolysis, glucose retro-aldol condensation, and glycolaldehyde hydrogenation. The understanding of these structure–performance relationships has provided new ideas for the green and sustainable production of high-value-added chemicals from cellulose.