Protein-derived carbon-supported Ni–Mo bimetallic catalysts with dual-active interfaces for mild hydrogenation of nitroarenes

Nickel-based non-precious metal hydrogenation catalysts have attracted widespread attention due to their cost-effectiveness, but they still face challenges in practical applications, such as low hydrogenation activity, easy aggregation and deactivation of Ni nanoparticles, and harsh reaction conditions. To address these issues, this study proposes a synergistic strategy based on nitrogen-rich biomass precursors. By leveraging the chelating effect of proteins, NiCl₂ and Na₂MoO₄ were co-assembled on the surface of porous carbon black, followed by pyrolysis under a nitrogen atmosphere, successfully preparing a carbon-supported Ni–MoC bimetallic catalyst with MoC–NiN_x interfaces (Ni–MoC/NC–X). The nitrogen species derived from proteins not only facilitated the formation of a nitrogen-doped carbon (NC) support but also effectively suppressed the aggregation of Ni through N coordination. Furthermore, the synergistic effect between MoC and NiN_x significantly enhanced the activity and stability of the nickel catalyst. Experimental results demonstrated that Ni–MoC/NC700 exhibited high conversion (>99%) and selectivity (>95%) for 16 aromatic nitro compounds with different substituents under mild conditions (90 °C, 5 bar H₂).