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Description:

Zr-/Ce-/Sm-containing intermetallic compounds, specifically ZrZnNi4, CeNi5, CeAlNi4, CeNi4Si, Ce(NiSi)2, SmNi3, SmNi4Si, and Sm(NiSi)2, were synthesized by reducing the metal oxides using a CaH2 reducing agent within molten LiCl. The resultant nanopowders exhibited high specific surface areas: ZrZnNi4 (42.0 m2/g), CeAlNi4 (66.9 m2/g), and Sm(NiSi)2 (25.0 m2/g). They were subsequently tested for their effectiveness in the NaBH4-assisted hydrogenation of 4-nitrophenol. When compared to the prepared catalysts, including a conventional CeO2-supported Ni catalyst, ZrZnNi4 demonstrated the highest catalytic activity. Based on experimental results and density functional theory calculations, it was proposed that this enhanced performance could be attributed to the formation of electron-rich Ni species in ZrZnNi4.

Rights:

• https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/
  

Keyword: catalysts

Date published: 2026-04-17

Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)

Journal:

• Dalton Transactions (ISSN: 14779234) vol. 55 issue. 17 p. 6876-6885

Funding:

• Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology JPMXP125NM5175
• Japan Society for the Promotion of Science 23K23440
• Japan Society for the Promotion of Science 24K08591

Manuscript type: Publisher's version (Version of record)

MDR DOI:

First published URL: https://doi.org/10.1039/d6dt00513f

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Updated at: 2026-05-11 11:00:05 +0900

Published on MDR: 2026-05-11 12:24:43 +0900