Silica-supported Nickel Phosphide Research Articles

Development of Highly Active Silica-Supported Nickel Phosphide Catalysts for Direct Dehydrogenative Conversion of Methane to Higher Hydrocarbons

The direct dehydrogenative conversion of methane (DCM) to higher hydrocarbons was investigated over silica-supported nickel phosphide catalysts (NixPy/SiO2) over 1023 K. NixPy/SiO2 catalysts were prepared by precipitation method to promote formation of nickel phosphide (Ni2P) as an active phase for the DCM reaction. Characterization studies of the NixPy/SiO2 catalysts with different P/Ni molar ratios were conducted by a X-ray diffraction analysis, a H2-temperature-programmed reduction spectrum, a scanning electron microscopy image, a X-ray absorption spectroscopy and a N2-adsorption measurement. Catalytic activity tests for the DCM reaction were conducted using a conventional fixed-bed reactor. Products of C2H4 (ethylene), C2H6 (ethane), C2H2 (acetylene), C3H6 (propylene), C6H6 (benzene), C7H8 (toluene), C10H8 (naphthalene) and H2 were analyzed by GC-TCD and GC-FID instruments. Different degrees of the Ni2P phase and character were observed for the NixPy/SiO2 catalysts from characterization studies. Data from characterization studies indicated that smaller and dispersed Ni2P particles were obtained by precipitation method as compared to that of impregnation method. NixPy/SiO2 with a molar ratio of P/Ni = 3.0 showed optimum catalytic performance with 3.28% of methane conversion, 1.93% of total product yield, and 60% of selectivity to hydrocarbons. The experimental results of the effects of reaction temperatures on the product distributions and activation energies indicated that the Ni2P phase successfully activated the C–H bond of methane and selectively converted to ethane. Ethane thermally converted to other higher hydrocarbons in the gas phase without the participation of the catalyst.

Etherification of biomass-derived furanyl alcohols with aliphatic alcohols over silica-supported nickel phosphide catalysts: Effect of surplus P species on the acidity

The acidity of nickel phosphide (Ni2P) catalysts plays a crucial role in producing a desired hydrodeoxygenation molecule from biomass-derived substrates; yet, it has never been explored in acid-catalyzed reactions. Herein, we demonstrated the activity of silica-supported Ni2P catalyst prepared with the nominal P/Ni ratio of 2 (Ni2P/SiO2-2P) in the etherification of furanyl alcohols (particularly, 5-(hydroxymethyl)furfural) with aliphatic alcohols including ethanol. By comparing the characteristics of Ni/SiO2, PxOy/SiO2, and Ni2P/SiO2-xP (x = 0.5 and 1), Ni2P/SiO2-2P was revealed to contain the Brønsted and Lewis acid sites of which both contributed to the etherification reaction. Notably, the Brønsted acidity was associated with the surplus P species added to produce the Ni2P phase. Consequently, supported Ni2P catalysts can work in acid-catalyzed reactions if an adequate ratio of Brønsted to Lewis acid sites is provided by the amount of the surplus P species determined by adjusting the P/Ni ratio.

Performances of mesoporous silica-supported nickel phosphide nanocatalysts in the one-pot transformation of cellobiose to sorbitol

This work reports the synthesis of mesoporous SBA-15 and Al-SBA-15-supported nickel phosphide nanocatalysts and the investigation of their bifunctional property in catalyzing the one-pot conversion of cellobiose to sorbitol. The SBA-15-supported nickel phosphide nanocatalysts were prepared with three different wt.% ratios of Ni/P: 10:2, 10:3, and 10:4. The Al-SBA-15 support was also used, where the wt.% ratio of Ni/P of 10:4 was applied for the preparation. The prepared nanocatalysts were characterized by XRD, N2 adsorption-desorption, SEM, TEM, and NH3-TPD, confirming the successful incorporation of nickel phosphide nanoparticles on (Al-)SBA-15 and the preservation of the hexagonal structure of the support after the modification processes. Notably, the characterization results also indicate that each catalyst contained different crystalline phases of nickel phosphide. The synthesized nanocatalysts were tested for their catalytic performance in the hydrolytic hydrogenation of cellobiose to produce sorbitol under the following conditions: 150 °C, 3 h, 4 MPa of H2. Three major products including glucose, sorbitol, and mannitol were obtained by all catalytic reactions. The proportions of these products, however, differed by the presence of different phases of nickel phosphide in each catalyst. The effect of reaction temperature and that of support materials on the catalytic performance are also studied.

Direct Nonoxidative Conversion of Methane to Higher Hydrocarbons over Silica-Supported Nickel Phosphide Catalyst

The direct dehydrogenative conversion of methane (DCM) to higher hydrocarbons has attracted much attention, because of the efficient utilization of natural gas. Ni catalysis of activation of C–H bo...

HDO of Methyl Palmitate over Silica-Supported Ni Phosphides: Insight into Ni/P Effect

Two sets of silica-supported nickel phosphide catalysts with a nickel content of about 2.5 and 10 wt % and Ni/P molar ratio 2/1, 1/1 and 1/2 in each set, were prepared by way of a temperature-programmed reduction method using (Ni(CH3COO)2) and ((NH4)2HPO4) as a precursor. The NixPy/SiO2 catalysts were characterized using chemical analysis N2 physisorption, XRD, TEM, 31P MAS NMR. Methyl palmitate hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) was performed in a trickle-bed reactor at 3 MPa and 290 °C with LHSV ranging from 0.3 to 16 h−1. The Ni/P ratio was found to affect the nickel phosphide phase composition, POx groups content and catalytic properties in methyl palmitate HDO with the TOF increased along with a decline of Ni/P ratio and a growth of POx groups’ content. Taking into account the possible routes of methyl palmitate conversion (metal-catalyzed hydrogenolysis or acid-catalyzed hydrolysis), we proposed that the enhancement of acid POx groups’ content with the Ni/P ratio decrease provides an enhancement of the rate of methyl palmitate conversion through the acceleration of acid-catalyzed hydrolysis.

Hydrodeoxygenation of 4-methylguaiacol over silica-supported nickel phosphide catalysts: The particle size effect

Abstract Lignin is a natural-made heteroaromatic polymer, which can be transformed into bio-based aromatics. Catalytic hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) depolymerizes lignin through selective oxygen extraction. This study investigated HDO of 4-methylguaiacol, a lignin model compound, over silica-supported nickel phosphide catalysts with controlled scale of active site. Catalyst characterizations, including N2 physisorption, ICP, XRD, TEM, XPS, H2-TPR, NH3-TPD, CO chemisorption, CO-TPD, and H2-TPD, were performed. HDO of 4-methylguaiacol was conducted in a H2-pressured, batch-type reactor, and the reaction network was proposed. The H2 uptake of Ni2P was discovered to play a key role in mediating reaction routes such as demethoxylation and hydrogenation in the reaction network. Therefore, nickel phosphide catalyst is deemed to have particle size effect in 4-methylguaiacol HDO.

Kinetic and Infrared Spectroscopy Study of Hydrodeoxygenation of 2-Methyltetrahydrofuran on a Nickel Phosphide Catalyst at Atmospheric Pressure

Understanding the reactions of heteroatomic cyclic compounds is essential for developing good catalysts for the upgrading of bio-oils into liquid fuels. The present study presents the reaction network of 2-methyltetrahydrofuran (2-MTHF, C5H10O), a bio-oil model compound, on silica-supported nickel phosphide at 0.1 MPa and 300 °C. Contact time experiments showed that 2-MTHF reacted to first form 1-pentanol and 2-pentanol, then n-pentanal, 2-pentanone, and 1- and 2-pentenes, and finally n-pentane. The observation is consistent with a reaction network in which adsorption of 2-MTHF is followed by rate-determining ring-opening steps on the more hindered side (path I) or the more open side (path II) to first produce adsorbed alcohols. The alcohols then transform into adsorbed aldehyde, ketone, and pentene species which can simply desorb or react to produce the final product n-butane (decarbonylation of adsorbed n-pentanal) or n-pentane (hydrogenation of adsorbed pentenes). Kinetic modeling of the proposed react...

Reactions of 2-Methyltetrahydropyran on Silica-Supported Nickel Phosphide in Comparison with 2-Methyltetrahydrofuran

The reactions of 2-methyltetrahydropyran (2-MTHP, C6H12O) on Ni2P/SiO2 provide insights on the interactions between a cyclic ether, an abundant component of biomass feedstock, with a transition-metal phosphide, an effective hydrotreating catalyst. At atmospheric pressure and a low contact time, conditions similar to those of a fast pyrolysis process, 70% of products formed from the reaction of 2-MTHP on Ni2P/SiO2 were deoxygenated products, 2-hexene and 2-pentenes, indicating a good oxygen removal capacity. Deprotonation, hydrogenolysis, dehydration, and decarbonylation were the main reaction routes. The reaction sequence started with the adsorption of 2-MTHP, followed by ring-opening steps on either the methyl substituted side (Path I) or the unsubstituted side (Path II) to produce adsorbed alkoxide species. In Path I, a primary alkoxide was oxidized at the α-carbon to produce an aldehyde, which subsequently underwent decarbonylation to 2-pentenes. The primary alkoxide could also be protonated to give a ...

Effect of precursor on the catalytic properties of Ni2P/SiO2 in methyl palmitate hydrodeoxygenation

The effect of phosphorus precursor on the physicochemical and catalytic properties of silica-supported nickel phosphide catalysts in the hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of aliphatic model compound methyl palmitate (C15H31COOCH3) has been considered.

Carbazole hydrodenitrogenation over nickel phosphide and Ni-rich bimetallic phosphide catalysts

Silica-supported nickel phosphide (Ni2P) and Ni-rich bimetallic phosphide catalysts were investigated for the hydrodenitrogenation (HDN) of carbazole with and without a benzothiophene co-feed. The Ni2P/SiO2, Co0.1Ni1.9P/SiO2, and Fe0.03Ni1.97P/SiO2 catalysts exhibited high carbazole HDN activities and out-performed a commercial sulfided Ni–Mo/Al2O3 catalyst under the testing conditions employed. Co-feeding of benzothiophene inhibited carbazole HDN over the metal phosphides, but the Ni2P/SiO2 and Ni-rich bimetallic phosphide catalysts maintained higher activities than the sulfided Ni–Mo/Al2O3 catalyst. The product selectivities of the metal phosphide and sulfide catalysts were similar, except that the sulfided Ni–Mo/Al2O3 catalyst yielded more hydrogenated carbazoles while the metal phosphide catalysts produced more of the partially hydrogenated hydrocarbon cyclohexylbenzene. The metal phosphide catalysts favored ring-opened (hexylcyclohexane) and ring-contracted ((2-methylcyclopentyl)cyclohexane) products, indicating the presence of metal and Brönsted acid sites on the catalyst surfaces. The Ni2P/SiO2 and bimetallic phosphide catalysts exhibited excellent stabilities in the HDN conditions employed (carbazole-only and mixed feeds), as indicated by phase purity, average crystallite size and resistance to sulfur incorporation of the supported metal phosphide particles.

Kinetic studies of hydrodeoxygenation of 2-methyltetrahydrofuran on a Ni2P/SiO2 catalyst at medium pressure

Bio-oil obtained by the pyrolysis of woody biomass contains many oxygenated organic compounds which degrade the product quality and make necessary upgrading for its use as a liquid fuel. Hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) is a catalytic hydrotreating process for the removal of the problematic oxygen functionalities and is promising for bio-oil upgrading. In this work, 2-methyltetrahydrofuran (2-MTHF) was chosen as a model oxygenated compound, and its HDO reaction mechanism was studied on a silica-supported nickel phosphide catalyst (Ni2P/SiO2) at a medium pressure of 0.5MPa. The temperature dependency of the catalyst activity was determined and it was found that at 350°C Ni2P/SiO2 showed 100% conversion and 85% selectivity to n-pentane, with higher oxygen removal activity and less CC bond cracking activity than commercial noble metal Ru/C and Pd/Al2O3 catalysts based on the same amount of active sites. A contact time study allowed the determination of a reaction sequence for 2-MTHF HDO on Ni2P/SiO2 and it was found that CO bond cleavage of the furanic ring to generate either 2-pentanone or 1-pentanal was the rate-determining step. This was followed by hydrogen transfer steps to produce oxygen free compounds, n-pentane or n-butane. A partial pressure analysis of 2-MTHF and H2 was consistent with a rate equation derived using a Langmuir–Hinshelwood (L–H) mechanism. This suggested that adsorption of 2-MTHF and hydrogen occurred competitively and that these species reacted on the Ni2P/SiO2 surface. Although high partial pressure of H2 was favorable for hydrogenation, too much H2 competed with 2-MTHF adsorption, which caused lower conversion.

Oxygen-removal of dibenzofuran as a model compound in biomass derived bio-oil on nickel phosphide catalysts: Role of phosphorus

The hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of dibenzofuran (DBF) was investigated over silica-supported nickel phosphide catalysts with low metallic loadings (2.5–10wt.%) and with different initial P/Ni atomic ratios. The formation of the nickel phosphide phase as well as the textural, structural and acidic properties of the catalysts were evaluated by X-ray fluorescence (XRFS), H2-temperature programmed reduction (H2-TPR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), CO chemisorption at 35°C, N2 adsorption–desorption isotherms at −196°C, NH3-temperature programmed desorption (NH3-TPD) and elemental analysis (CNHS). The effect of metallic loading, the initial P/Ni molar ratio as well as the feed O-concentration on the catalytic activity were studied. Characterization results reveal that smaller particle sizes are formed at lower metallic loadings and high P/Ni atomic ratios, and that the acidity increases linearly with the metallic loading pointing to nickel and phosphorous species as the acidic centers in reduced catalysts. Nickel phosphide catalysts display good activity and stability in the HDO of DBF, reaching high DBF conversion values at moderate temperatures (300°C) and with high selectivity to bicyclohexane (BCH), the main deoxygenated product which was obtained by hydrogenation of both aromatic rings (HYD pathway). Catalyst deactivation due to coke was minimal due to the low strength of the acid sites, while the formation of water did not present an inhibiting effect even under high O-concentration. This behavior might occur because water interacts preferentially with the excess phosphorous present on the catalyst surface and thus nickel phosphide particles do not undergo oxidation.

Atmospheric Hydrodeoxygenation of Guaiacol over Alumina-, Zirconia-, and Silica-Supported Nickel Phosphide Catalysts

This study investigated atmospheric hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of guaiacol over Ni2P-supported catalysts. Alumina, zirconia, and silica served as the supports of Ni2P catalysts. The physicochemical properties of these catalysts were surveyed by N2 physisorption, X-ray diffraction (XRD), CO chemisorption, H2 temperature-programmed reduction (H2-TPR), H2 temperature-programmed desorption (H2-TPD), and NH3 temperature-programmed desorption (NH3-TPD). The catalytic performance of these catalysts was tested in a continuous fixed-bed system. This paper proposes a plausible network of atmospheric guaiacol HDO, containing demethoxylation (DMO), demethylation (DME), direct deoxygenation (DDO), hydrogenation (HYD), transalkylation, and methylation. Pseudo-first-order kinetics analysis shows that the intrinsic activity declined in the following order: Ni2P/ZrO2 > Ni2P/Al2O3 > Ni2P/SiO2. Product selectivity at zero guaiacol conversion indicates that Ni2P/SiO2 promotes DMO and DDO routes, whereas Ni2P/ZrO2 and Ni2P/Al2O...

Catalytic pyrolysis of natural algae from water blooms over nickel phosphide for high quality bio-oil production

A large abundance of environmentally harmful biomass waste is generated by water blooms. In order to provide an applicable solution for the relief of the environmental pressure, natural algae of Taihu Lake water blooms (CTL), mainly cyanobacteria, were catalytically pyrolyzed over silica-supported nickel phosphide to produce bio-oil. The properties of the bio-oil, such as chemical composition, elemental composition, and higher heating value (HHV), were examined. The composition of the gas product was also detected. The results suggest that catalytic pyrolysis could effectively convert the algae to a high quality bio-oil, in which the oxygen content was considerably reduced from 41.7 wt% in the algae to 8.0 wt% in the bio-oil. Long-chained alkanes became the primary component (59.4%). The HHV of the bio-oil obtained from catalytic pyrolysis was 37.2 MJ kg−1. The results indicate that it is possible to achieve high-grade renewable transportation fuels via catalytic pyrolysis of environmentally harmful CTL, and nickel phosphide is an applicable and effective catalyst.

Ni 2P and CoP catalysts prepared from phosphite-type precursors for HDS–HDN competitive reactions

Silica-supported nickel and cobalt phosphide catalysts were synthesized with low metal-loading (5 wt%). The formation of Ni 2P and CoP phases was achieved by temperature-programmed reduction of phosphite-based precursors, Ni(HPO 3H) 2 and Co(HPO 3H) 2, respectively. The catalysts were characterized by X-ray fluorescence (XRFS), N 2 adsorption–desorption, X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and elemental analysis (CNHS). These catalysts were tested in the individual reactions of hydrodesulfurization (HDS) of dibenzothiophene (DBT) and hydrodenitrogenation (HDN) of quinoline (Q), and also in the simultaneous HDS and HDN reactions. These tests were conducted by feeding 3000 ppm of DBT or 3000 ppm of Q. Additional tests were performed with the aim to evaluate S-removal capability by keeping constant Q concentration in the feed (3000 ppm) and varying DBT concentration (200 and 2000 ppm). The catalytic results show that these phosphide catalysts achieve high DBT and Q conversion values at high temperatures though the rate of HDS reaction is higher than that of HDN. In all cases Ni 2P is more active than CoP. Moreover, the presence of N-containing molecules in the feed does not affect the S-removal as sulfur is almost completely removed after 48 h on-stream.

Naphthalene Hydrogenation over Silica Supported Nickel Phosphide in the Absence and Presence of N-Containing Compounds

Silica supported nickel phosphide catalysts with initial Ni/P molar ratios from 0.5 to 2.0 and the sum of NiO and P2O5 loadings from 10 to 40 wt % in their precursors have been prepared by the temperature-programmed reduction method and characterized by means of X-ray diffraction, N2 physisorption, CO chemisorption, and pyridine adsorption with in situ Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. Naphthalene hydrogenation was carried out at 340 °C and 4.0 MPa over the as-prepared Ni2P/SiO2 catalysts. Mutual influences of naphthalene hydrogenation and quinoline hydrodenitrogenation were investigated under similar conditions. The catalyst with Ni/P = 1.25 and 30 wt % loading showed the complete naphthalene conversion as well as 92.1% of selectivity to decalin. It was observed that cis-decalin converted partly into trans-decalin under the studied conditions. Addition of quinoline into naphthalene hydrogenation obviously decreased naphthalene conversion and selectivity to decalin over the Ni2P/SiO2 catalysts due to the strong adsorption of quinoline on active sites. The similar effects of the quinoline hydrogenated compounds on naphthalene hydrogenation were also observed over the Ni2P/SiO2 catalysts. The addition of naphthalene had no effect on quinoline hydrogenation to tetrahydroquinoline but inhibited tetrahydroquinoline hydrogenation to decahydroquinoline. Naphthalene conversion over the Ni2P/SiO2 catalyst in the presence of quinoline and dibenzothiophene decreased with the increase of their contents. It is noteworthy that naphthalene conversion could be recovered after the removal of quinoline while the hydrogenation activity could not in the case of dibenzothiophene.

Hydrogenation of naphthalene on nickel phosphide supported on silica

AbstractTwo series of silica supported nickel phosphide catalysts with different Ni/P atomic ratios of the precursors and loadings had been prepared by a temperature‐programmed reduction of nickel phosphate. The resulting samples were characterized by means of N2 physorption and X‐ray diffraction (XRD). The activities of the catalysts were measured for naphthalene hydrogenation (HYD) at 340 °C and 4 MPa. The operating conditions of naphthalene HYD such as temperature, pressure and H2/liquor ratio were tested in detail. It is found that all the samples were active in this reaction and the sample which precursor with Ni/P = 1.25 and loading with 30 wt% displayed the highest catalytic activity and decalin selectivity. Naphthalene conversion and selectivity to decalin went through a maximum (100% and 83% at 340 °C) with the increasing reaction temperature. Copyright © 2009 Curtin University of Technology and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A general method for determining the role of spectroscopically observed species in reaction mechanisms: Analysis of coverage transients (ACT)

A kinetic method is described to determine the role of adsorbed intermediates in heterogeneous reaction mechanisms. The method, denoted as analysis of coverage transients (ACT), involves comparing the time response of a spectroscopically observed species in an inert gas and a reactive gas to differentiate between adsorption–desorption processes and reaction. The method is applied in a kinetic study of pyridine hydrodenitrogenation (HDN) on a 12.2 wt% silica-supported nickel phosphide (Ni 2P/SiO 2) catalyst at 423 K and atmospheric pressure. In situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) measurements of pyridine adsorbed on Ni 2P revealed the formation of a pyridinium surface intermediate. The concentration of the pyridinium intermediate increased with pyridine partial pressure and decreased in the presence of hydrogen, suggesting that it was a reaction intermediate. However, transient and steady-state kinetic measurements showed that the rate of reaction of the intermediate did not correspond to the overall reaction rate, and it is concluded that the pyridinium intermediate is not directly involved in the HDN reaction of pyridine over Ni 2P. The studies demonstrate that mere observation of an adsorbed surface species at reaction conditions is not sufficient to prove that it is a reaction intermediate. The ACT method has potential as it can be used with any type of spectroscopy, as long as the surface coverage can be calibrated.

Hydrodechlorination of Chlorobenzene over Silica-Supported Nickel Phosphide Catalysts

Silica-supported Ni3P, Ni12P5, and Ni2P catalysts were prepared by the temperature-programmed reduction method from nickel phosphate precursors. A Ni/SiO2 catalyst was also prepared as a reference. The effect of the initial Ni/P molar ratio in the precursor on the catalyst structure and hydrodechlorination performance was investigated. The physicochemical properties of the catalysts were characterized by means of N2 adsorption, hydrogen temperature-programmed reduction, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, ultraviolet and visible spectroscopy, hydrogen temperature-programmed desorption, and inductively coupled plasma spectroscopy. The catalyst activities in the hydrodechlorination of chlorobenzene were evaluated in a fixed-bed reactor at atmospheric pressure. The silica-supported nickel phosphides exhibited superior hydrodechlorination activities to that of supported nickel. This can be attributed to the special physicochemical properties of nickel phosphides and a great amount of spillover hydrogen species. In nickel phosphides, there is a small amount of electron transfer from Ni to P, leading to a small positive charge on Ni. This favors a weakening of the interaction between chlorine and nickel sites, as well as between adsorbed hydrogen species and nickel phosphides. The “ensemble effect” of P is also beneficial in decreasing the coverage of chlorine on nickel sites. Because of the reduced interaction between adsorbed hydrogen species and nickel phosphides, the energy barrier of the hydrogen spillover on the silica-supported nickel phosphide catalysts decreases, which accounts for the increased amount of spillover hydrogen species on the catalyst surface. Spillover hydrogen species not only promote the hydrogenolysis of the C−Cl bond, but also favor the removal of chlorine ions from the surface of the catalysts. Hydrodechlorination over the nickel phosphide catalysts is characterized by a reaction induction period that becomes longer with increasing phosphorus content in the catalyst precursor. This is related to the blocking of active sites by excess phosphorus.

Gas-phase Hydrodechlorination of Chlorobenzene Over Silica-supported Ni2P Catalysts Prepared Under Different Reduction Conditions

The influence of reduction conditions on the properties and reactivity of silica-supported nickel phosphide (Ni2P/SiO2) catalysts for gas-phase hydrodechlorination (HDC) of chlorobenzene was investigated. The catalysts prepared under different reduction conditions had the similar specific surface area (∼370 m2 g-1), and pore diameter (∼5.2 nm) and Ni2P crystallites size (10–13 nm). However, comparing with Ni2P/SiO2 catalyst prepared at 923 K with the H2 space velocity of 15,000 mL g−1 h−1 for 2 h, with increasing the H2 space velocity from 15,000 to 19,200 mL g−1 h−1, or the reduction temperature from 923 to 1023 K or the reduction time from 2 to 6 h, the Ni/P ratio in the prepared catalyst was increased from 1/0.56 to about 1/0.50, and the HDC reaction induction period over the catalyst was also shortened from above 30 to 2–4 h. It is suggested that the induction period might be due to the blocking of active sites by excess phosphorus, which results in hindering the activation of chlorobenzene and the adsorption of hydrogen species on Ni2P. Under the conditions of 573 K and WNi/FCl = 186.6 gNi\({\text{mol}}{}_{{\text{Cl}}}^{ - 1} \) min, the chlorobenzene conversion over the Ni2P/SiO2 catalyst reached 99%, and it did not change during 36 h. The good activity and stability of the Ni2P/SiO2 catalyst was ascribed to the weak interaction between chlorine and Ni2P and a great of spilt-over hydrogen species on the catalyst surface.