ZrO2、SiO2 and ZrO2-SiO2 oxide composite supported Ni catalysts with Ni content of 10%(mass) were prepared by incipient impregnation method and characterized by N2 physical adsorption
NH3-TPD
H2-TPR
XRD
TEM. The catalysts were evaluated for liquid phase hydrogenation of levulinic acid. The results showed that levulinic acid was first hydrogenated to 4-hydroxy valeric acid via C=O hydrogenation and γ-valerolactone was then produced by immediate esterification of 4-hydroxy valeric acid. Compared to Ni/ZrO2 and Ni/SiO2 catalysts
Ni/ZrO2-SiO2 catalyst exhibited highest dispersion of metallic Ni and most surface acid sites. As a result
the Ni/ZrO2-SiO2 catalyst demonstrated highest activity for C=O hydrogenation and superior performance for synthesis of γ-valerolactone via levulinic acid hydrogenation. 100% levulinic acid conversion and over 99.9% γ-valerolactone selectivity were achieved under reaction temperature of 200℃ and hydrogen pressure of 4 MPa.