Fabrication of hybrid mesoporous TiO2–SiO2(Et) supported Ni nanoparticles: An efficient and air/water stable catalyst

• A mesoporous and hydrophobic supported Ni catalyst was prepared.
• The Ni/TiO2–SiO2(Et-0.6) catalyst is water-tolerable and air-stable.
• Hydrophobicity can protect the active Ni sites from contacting with water.
• Ni0 anchored into the mesoporous channel and matrix, reducing the oxidation of Ni0.

We prepared a series of mesostructured Ni/TiO2–SiO2(Et) hybrid catalysts with highly dispersed Ni nanoparticles and incorporated ethane-bridged organosilica moieties. Ni/TiO2–SiO2(Et) showed high activity in the hydrogenation of nitrobenzene in water, and it could be recycled for several times with a constant activity and selectivity. It was confirmed that Ni/TiO2–SiO2(Et) catalyst is of hydrophobicity as the ethane-bridged organosilica fragments were incorporated into the mesoporous framework, and so the Ni active species was protected without contacting with water to form the inactive Ni species. In particularly, the Ni/TiO2–SiO2(Et) catalyst was air-stable, it could remain good activity after being exposed to air for a week. Accordingly, this work developed a kind of hydrophobic Ni catalyst with high stability to water and air, which is expected to have a wide application in the hydrogenation reactions.

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