Some insight on the structure/activity relationship of metal nanoparticles in Cu/SiO2 catalysts

The activity of two Cu/SiO2 catalysts prepared by the chemisorption hydrolysis technique has been tested in the hydrogenation reaction of 3-methyl-cyclohexanone. Both catalysts were found to be very active at 60 degrees C and 1 atm of H-2. Characterization of the materials by FT-IR of adsorbed CO and TEM put in light the presence of well formed Cu cristallites. By assuming a cuboctahedral model we could show that the hydrogenation activity is linked to high coordination sites on the metal particle. A comparison is also reported with a sample prepared by ammonia evaporation that was found to be inactive in the hydrogenation reaction under the same experimental conditions. (C) 2019, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.