Nickel-based catalysts are widely used in petrochemistry for selective hydrogenation of poly-unsaturated compounds formed during steam cracking, such as dienes and/or alkynes. ... This will give the possibility to tune the activity and/or the selectivity of a catalytic system for a given reaction.

What is the role of nickel catalyst in hydrogenation?

Catalysts act by lowering the activation energy of reactions, but they do not change the relative potential energy of the reactants and products. Finely divided metals, such as platinum, palladium and nickel, are among the most widely used hydrogenation catalysts.

Are nickel catalysts expensive?

Computational methods and experimental techniques reveal important design principles for future nickel catalysts. ... Nickel, whose market price of less than $4 a pound, is an attractive alternative to expensive and rare metals. A roadmap for optimizing designer catalysts.