4. Conclusions
Silica-supported bimetallic Ni@Pt and Cu@Pt overlayer catalysts were synthesized using the directed deposition technique. H2 chemisorption and ethylene hydrogenation reactivity indicated that H2 adsorption strength of overlaying Pt in Ni@Pt and Cu@Pt was reduced from the pure Pt, in agreement with literature predictions. Both overlayer catalysts showed higher reactivity in furfural conversion compared to their parent metals. This enhancement could be ascribed to the reduced binding strength of H2 on Pt surface, resulting in fewer Pt sites blocked by the strong H2 adsorption and increased Pt reactivity. Also, high furfuryl alcohol selectivity was obtained with the Cu@Pt overlayer catalyst as well as higher reactivity. This suggests the advantage of Pt overlayer catalysts to improve the reactivity without sacrificing the selectivity.