Abstract
Supported Ni-based catalysts present a promising alternative to precious Pd-based catalysts for the selective hydrogenation of phenylacetylene due to their abundance and cost-effectiveness. However, the influence of support materials on the catalytic performance of Ni-based catalysts has been insufficiently explored. In this study, a series of Ni(3)CuSn(0.3) trimetallic catalysts (Ni:Cu:Sn molar ratio of 3:1:0.3; Ni loading of 20 wt %) supported on various materials, including SiO(2), SBA-15, Al(2)O(3), MgO, CeO(2), and TiO(2), were synthesized, characterized, and evaluated. In general, silica-supported catalysts showed higher hydrogenation activity but lower styrene selectivity, while metal oxide-supported catalysts exhibited reduced activity but enhanced selectivity. The catalytic activity decreased with increasing Sn incorporation into the Ni-Cu alloys, whereas styrene selectivity was affected by both electronic and geometric effects. Among the catalysts tested, Ni(3)CuSn(0.3)/Al(2)O(3) demonstrated the highest styrene selectivity at complete phenylacetylene conversion. This catalyst was further prepared via a scalable solvent-free ball milling method, achieving an initial reaction rate of 4.5 mmol/(g·min) and 95% styrene selectivity at complete phenylacetylene conversion under 60 °C and 0.5 MPa. Moreover, it displayed stable performance over multiple reaction cycles, with the properties remaining well-preserved. These results offer new opportunities for developing large-scale processes for the selective hydrogenation of phenylacetylene using earth-abundant catalysts.