Study on the Characteristics of Phenol Degradation by Microwave Radiation over NiO/BC Catalyst

This study prepared a biochar-supported nickel oxide (NiO/BC) catalyst for the microwave-catalyzed degradation of gaseous phenol, aiming to investigate the degradation mechanism and pathway regulation. By optimizing preparation and reaction parameters, it was found that at a Ni loading of 6 wt% and a microwave power of 480 W, the gas-phase products accounted for 98.6% of the total products, with optimal selectivity for H₂ and CO in the syngas. Characterization results indicated that NiO was in-situ reduced to metallic Ni nanoparticles during the reaction, forming the key catalytically active centers that synergistically catalyzed cracking and hydrogenation reactions. This process primarily converted phenol into syngas (H₂ + CO) and long-chain alkanes (tetradecane). The study further revealed that excessively high microwave power caused the sintering of Ni particles, resulting in catalyst deactivation. This research elucidates the dynamic evolution of the catalyst under microwave irradiation and the directed conversion mechanism of phenol, providing a scientific basis for developing efficient and stable microwave-catalyzed technologies for the resource treatment of organic pollutants.