Co and Ni catalysts loaded on typical well-ordered micro- and mesoporous supports for acetic acid reduction

The consecutive reduction of acetic acid was studied over two monometallic (nickel and cobalt) catalysts compared to indium doped bimetallic composites. A fixed bed flow-through reactor was applied with hydrogen stream at 21 bar at 240–380 °C. Efficient catalysts containing finely dispersed metal particles were obtained by in situ pretreatment with H2 at 450 °C. It was shown that cobalt, opposite to nickel, can direct the consecutive catalytic reduction to ethanol formation inhibiting hydrodecarbonylation. Resulting in higher activity, the well-ordered mesoporous silica, SBA-15 seems to be more efficient support than a crystalline microporous aluminosilicate, FAU.