Dispersion Control of Ni Particles in Porous Silica by Solution Exchange of Wet Silica Gel

Particle size of NiO in silica with well defined mesoporous structure can be controlled from 3.5 to 10 nm regardless of NiO content up to 30 wt% by solution exchange of wet silica gel derived from sol-gel process. Ni surface area of samples reduced at 500 °C can be enlarged by decreasing the NiO particle size, resulting in 30 mgʹ at 30 wt% loading. The catalysts showed superior activities for gas-phase hydrogenation of benzene.