| abstract |
materials comprising carbon-embedded nickel nanoparticles, processes for their production, and use as heterogeneous catalysts. the present invention relates to a catalytically active material comprising non-graphitizing carbon grains with nickel nanoparticles dispersed therein, wherein dp, the average diameter of nickel nanoparticles in the non-graphitizing carbon grains is in the range of 1 nm to 20 nm, d, the average distance between nickel nanoparticles in the non-graphitizing carbon grains, is in the range of 2 nm to 150 nm, and omega, the combined total mass fraction of metal in the non-graphitizing carbon grains is in the range of 30% in weight at 70% by weight of the total mass of non-graphitizing carbon grains, and in which dp, d and omega obey the following relationship: 4.5 dp/omega > d = 0.25 dp/omega. the present invention further relates to a process for producing material according to the invention, as well as its use as a catalyst. |