Robust structured Cu-based film catalysts with greatly enhanced catalytic hydrogenation property

Abstract Presently, developing efficient and stable structured heterogenous catalysts with fabulous advantages of excellent ability for heat/mass transfer, facile recovery and separation, and superior stability is of great importance in terms of economic production of chemicals. Here, structured Cu-based film catalysts with novel surface superstructure composed of large quantities of interlaced and nearly vertically grown nanosheets for aqueous-phase hydrogenation of furfural toward the production of furfuryl alcohol (FOL) and cyclopentanone (CPO) were successfully fabricated from structured Cu-Zn-Al layered double hydroxide (CuZnAl-LDH) film precursors. As-fabricated structured Cu-based film catalyst possessing a Cu/(Zn + Cu) molar ratio of 4:5 exhibited a superior catalytic performance in the above reaction to other Zn-free and Zn-rich Cu-based film catalysts, as well as pristine CuZnAl-LDH-derived powdered one, due to the synergistic effect between highly dispersive Cu species and favorable surface acidic sites originating from LDH-derived Zn-Al mixed metal oxide (ZnAl-MMO), as well as the presence of abundant Cu-MMO interface within surface nanosheets, being responsible for the enhanced adsorption and activation of reactant and reaction intermediates. Furthermore, due to strong interactions between Cu species and MMO matrix within nanosheets and between surface nanosheets and anodic aluminum oxide/aluminum substrate, the present structured catalyst showed high structural stability and reusability.