Ni/KIT-6 catalysts for hydrogenolysis of lignin-derived diphenyl ether

A series of mesoporous silica KIT-6 supported Ni catalysts were prepared by wet impregnation method and evaluated for the lignin-derived diphenyl ether hydrogenolysis under atmospheric pressure in the continuous process. All the catalysts were characterized by powder XRD, $$\hbox {N}_{2}$$ -physisorption, SEM, TEM, $$\hbox {H}_{2}$$ -TPR analysis $$\hbox {H}_{2}$$ -pulse chemisorption studies. Among the catalysts, 20-wt%-Ni/KIT-6 exhibited better activity and selectivity due to the well dispersion of Ni particles through uniform pore channel of KIT-6. 20Ni/KIT-6 shows consistent selectivity to aromatics with a decrease in conversion of diphenyl ether during the time on stream studies. SynopsisNi/KIT-6 catalysts are active in cleavage of $$\hbox {C}_{\mathrm{aryl}}$$ -O- $$\hbox {C}_{\mathrm{aryl}}$$ bond of Diphenyl ether, a lignin model compound, in a continuous process at atmospheric pressure