Effect of loading method on selective hydrogenation of chloronitrobenzenes over amorphous Ni–B/CNTs catalysts

•Ni–B particles were selectively deposited inside or outside CNTs.•CNTs channels efficiently restricted the size and aggregative of Ni–B particles.•Thermostability of amorphous Ni–B alloy was enhanced when deposited inside CNTs.•Ni–B inside CNTs showed higher hydrogenation activity than Ni–B outside CNTs.

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs)-supported amorphous Ni–B catalysts were prepared by selectively depositing Ni–B particles inside or outside the CNTs (Ni–B-in/CNTs or Ni–B-out/CNTs). Hydrogenation of chloronitrobenzenes was carried out to test how the Ni–B particle-loading method over the CNTs affected the catalytic performance. Compared with the Ni–B-out/CNTs, the Ni–B-in/CNTs, because of the nanospace limitation inside the CNTs, restricted the size and aggregative behavior of the Ni–B particles better, and formed an amorphous Ni–B alloy with high thermal stability. The Ni–B-in/CNTs exhibited a much higher catalytic activity for hydrogenation of chloronitrobenzenes than the Ni–B-out/CNTs.

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