Plate-like Ni–Mg–Al layered double hydroxide synthesized via a solvent-free approach and its application in hydrogenolysis of D-sorbitol

Abstract Layered double hydroxide (LDH) is widely used in adsorption, additive, catalyst precursor and support. In this work, a solvent-free synthesis approach of plate-like Ni–Mg–Al LDH and its application in hydrogenolysis of D-sorbitol was reported. It was found that mainly hexagonal plate-liked LDH crystals (with a diameter of 25–30 nm and a thickness of 7.0–10.5 nm) formed in Ni 3.6 Mg 2.4 Al 2 (OH) 16 CO 3 -SF that synthesized via solvent-free routine. Ni 3.6 Mg 2.4 Al 2 (OH) 16 CO 3 -SF possessed higher crystallinity, bigger specific surface area and stronger basicity than its counterpart that synthesized in traditional coprecipitation method. Bi-functional Ni/solid-base catalyst with homogenously dispersed Ni clusters (with a mean diameter of 3.3 nm) on separated plate-liked Mg 2.4 Al 2 O 5.4 sheets could be prepared after controlled calcination and reduction of Ni 3.6 Mg 2.4 Al 2 (OH) 16 CO 3 -SF. Ni 3.6 /Mg 2.4 Al 2 O 5.4 -SF catalyst was highly active and stable for the hydrogenolysis of D-sorbitol under mild conditions.