A highly efficient, selective and stable PtCoNi/MWCNTs nanocatalyst for furfural hydrogenation to furfuryl alcohol under mild reaction conditions

A series of MWCNTs-supported Pt monometallic, bimetallic and trimetallic catalysts (MWCNTs-modified multi-walled carbon nanotubes) are synthesized by a simple chemical reduction method, and they are used to catalyze furfural selective hydrogenation. PtNiCo/MWCNTs shows much better catalytic property than the monometallic catalysts (Pt/MWCNTs) and bimetallic catalysts (PtNi/MWCNTs, PtCo/MWCNTs, NiCo/MWCNTs), and PtNiCo/MWCNTs could provide high conversion of furfural (91.7%) and selectivity to furfuryl alcohol (97.8%) under moderate conditions (3.0 MPa hydrogen, 100 °C). It is found that the excellent catalytic behavior of PtNiCo/MWCNTs for furfural selective hydrogenation is attributable to the doping of NiCo which tuned electronic structure and dilutes Pt sites, destroying Pt assembly and creating new highly active Pt-Ni-Co sites. Numerous characterization techniques have also indicated the existence of PtNiCo alloy nanoparticles (Pt-Ni-Co) in the PtNiCo/MWCNTs catalyst.