Carbon nanotube-supported bimetallic Pt-Fe catalysts for nitrobenzene hydrogenation

Carbon nanotube (CNT)-supported Pt-Fe catalysts were prepared by a chemical reduction method using chloroplatinic acid and ferric nitrate as starting materials. The structure and the morphology of the catalysts were characterised by an X-ray diffractometer, transmission electron microscopy and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. The catalytic performance for nitrobenzene hydrogenation was evaluated under atmospheric pressure at an ambient temperature. The bimetallic Pt-Fe/CNT catalysts showed much higher activity than Pt/CNTs with a similar Pt content for nitrobenzene hydrogenation.