Study of reduction and benzene hydrogenation on NiB and NiP amorphous alloy catalysts by in-situ IR spectroscopy

The ultrafine NiB and NiP amorphous alloy catalysts were prepared by chemic al reduction. The amorphous structure of the as-prepared samples was determ ined by XRD. SEM and TEM were used to observe the surface structure and par ticle size of the samples. The results showed that the particles of the cat alysts are in nanometer size range. The crystallization processes were char acterized in N-2 flow by DSC and it showed that NiB has lower stability tha n NiP owing to the difference of the interaction between Ni and B and that between Ni and P. The composition of the samples was Ni69B31 and Ni76P24 re spectively. The catalytic performances of amorphous NiB and NiP catalysts f or benzene hydrogenation were measured on a pulse microreactor-gas chromato graphy apparatus, and the catalytic activity of NiB was far higher than tha t of NiP. The processes of reduction and benzene hydrogenation on NiB and N iP were studied by using in-situ FT-IR diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. Th e results are in accord with the conclusion of the pulse benzene hydrogenat ion.