@article{d1ff12b3d10949ed88797a1bad07215c,
title = "Ni/SiO2 catalysts derived from carbothermal reduction of nickel phyllosilicate in the hydrogenation of levulinic acid to γ-valerolactone: The efficacy of nitrogen decoration",
abstract = "Ni catalysts derived from the carbothermal reduction of nickel phyllosilicate were investigated and their application in the hydrogenation of levulinic acid (LA) to γ-valerolactone (GVL) was revealed. The most effective catalyst (S3M1.5@NiPS-600) was prepared by using a sucrose-melamine mixture (molar ratio = 2:1) as the reducing agent with a proper thermal treatment (maintained at 600 °C for 2 h). By using S3M1.5@NiPS-600, a high GVL productivity (1387 mmol GVL/g surface Ni/h), good recyclability (4.9% loss of initial activity in five cycles), and a negligible deactivation rate were observed. The promising outcome was attributed to grafted carbon and nitrogen species on the carbothermally reduced Ni/SiO2 catalyst. Grafted carbon species improve catalyst stability whereas immobilized nitrogen species induce Niδ+ (δ>2) with a strong Lewis acidity. Paired Niδ+ and Ni0 sites are active in the reduction of the ketone group of LA, thereby enhancing the production of GVL.",
author = "Li, {Cheng Chia} and Hsieh, {Chou Hsun} and Lin, {Yu Chuan}",
note = "Funding Information: This study was supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology (Projects 109-2628-E-006-011-MY3, 110-2923-E-006-005-MY3, and 110-2927-I-006-506) and by Higher Education Sprout Project, Ministry of Education to the Headquarters of University Advancement at National Cheng Kung University (NCKU). The authors also appreciate the use of elemental analyser (EA000600, MOST 110-2731-M-006-001) belonging to the Core Facility Center of National Cheng Kung University. Drs. Jyh-Fu Lee and Chi-Liang Chen (National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center, Taiwan) for the XAFS spectra collection are gratefully appreciated. Funding Information: This study was supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology (Projects 109-2628-E-006-011-MY3, 110-2923-E-006-005-MY3, and 110-2927-I-006-506) and by Higher Education Sprout Project, Ministry of Education to the Headquarters of University Advancement at National Cheng Kung University (NCKU). The authors also appreciate the use of elemental analyser (EA000600, MOST 110-2731-M-006-001) belonging to the Core Facility Center of National Cheng Kung University. Drs. Jyh-Fu Lee and Chi-Liang Chen (National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center, Taiwan) for the XAFS spectra collection are gratefully appreciated. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021",
year = "2022",
month = may,
doi = "10.1016/j.mcat.2021.111720",
language = "English",
volume = "523",
journal = "Molecular Catalysis",
issn = "2468-8231",
publisher = "Elsevier BV",
}