Ni@C@CNT catalyst derived from CNT doped Ni-MOF for furfural hydrogenation to tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol

Conversion of biomass-derived furfural platform compound to value-added tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol (THFL) molecule is a sustainable route, and an efficient nonnoble metallic catalyst is a key factor for this reaction. In this work, Ni@C@CNT composite as a highly effective catalyst for hydrogenation of furfural to tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol was synthesized by one-step pyrolysis of Ni-centered metal organic framework (Ni-MOF) doping with carbon nanotube (CNT). For comparison, Ni@C catalyst derived directly from Ni-MOF was also synthesized. The characterization results show that the doping of CNT promotes high dispersion of active sites and formation of Ni 3 C phase which has Pt-like catalytic activity. Therefore, the obtained Ni@C@CNT exhibited excellent activity in furfural hydrogenation (99.1% furfural conversion and 94.7% THFL yield at 120°C, 4 h, 4-MPa initial hydrogen pressure). Ni@C@CNT also shows good stability in reuse test. Current work presents a facile method for preparation of nonnoble metallic catalysts with high efficiency.