Hierarchical nanocrystalline NiO with coral-like structure derived from nickel galactarate dihydrate: An active mesoporous catalyst for methyl ethyl ketone production

Nanocrystalline NiO with a coral-like structure (38 nm) has been prepared via thermal decomposition of a new precursor, nickel galactarate (NiC6H8O8·2H2O), at 500 °C for 3 h in air. Thermal decomposition of that precursor was studied by TG and DSC techniques. The resultant NiO was physicochemically characterized by XRD, FTIR, SEM, surface area, porosity and CO2-TPD. NiO was found to exhibit a remarkable activity towards the synthesis of MEK from 2-butanol between 200 and 325 °C. In addition, it has shown a great tendency to ease regeneration of the used catalyst after 192 h in stream by simple refreshing method.