A temperature programmed desorption study on supported nickel catalysts: empirical relationship between the adsorbability of hydrogen and the catalytic activities

Abstract

Temperature programmed desorption (TPD) was used in characterizing supported nickel catalysts and in estimating their catalytic activity. The TPD of hydrogen adsorbed on nickel catalysts using silica, silica-alumina, alumina, titania, and treated silicas was studied. To examine the catalytic activity of these catalysts, hydrogenolysis of ethane and hydrogenation of furan were performed in an atmospheric flow system. The amount of desorbed hydrogen and the catalytic activity were markedly influenced by the support used. When silica support was pretreated in water or in alcohols at about 280°C and 10-25 MPa, the nickel-loaded catalysts showed high adsorbability of hydrogen and high activities. Depending on the reaction examined, a good linear relationship was found between the catalytic activity and the amount of hydrogen desorbed in a certain range of temperature.