The effect of physical morphology and the chemical state of Ru on the catalytic properties of Ru–carbon for cellulose hydrolytic hydrogenation

Abstract

Ru–carbon catalysts with different physical morphologies and chemical states of Ru were prepared by different methods and used to catalyze the hydrolytic hydrogenation of cellulose at high temperatures. The physical morphology of Ru particles and the chemical state of Ru significantly influenced the catalytic performance. The Ru nanoparticles in Ru@MC prepared by the in situ carbothermal reduction method exhibited a special chemical state due to the strong interaction with carbon. The special structure could not only prevent the growth of Ru particles but also enhance the hydrogen spillover effect and improve the hydrogenation efficiency. Among the Ru–carbon catalysts, Ru@MC showed the best catalytic performance with a 72.4% yield of sorbitol. Furthermore, the embedded structure of Ru@MC stabilized the Ru nanoparticles, and the catalyst could be reused at least 6 times.