The heightened interest in liquid organic hydrogen carriers encourages the development of catalysts suitable for multicycle use. To ensure high catalytic activity and selectivity, the structure–reactivity relationship must be extensively investigated. In this study, high-loaded Ni–Cu catalysts were considered for the dehydrogenation of methylcyclohexane. The highest conversion of 85% and toluene selectivity of 70% were achieved at 325 °C in a fixed-bed reactor using a catalyst with a Cu/Ni atomic ratio of 0.23. To shed light on the relationship between the structural features and catalytic performance, the catalysts were thoroughly studied using a wide range of advanced physicochemical tools. The activity and selectivity of the proposed catalysts are related to the uniformity of Cu distribution and its interaction with Ni via the formation of metallic solid solutions. The method of introduction of copper in the catalyst plays a crucial role in the effectiveness of the interaction between the two metals.

Promoting effects arising from the bimetallic Ni–Zn solid solutions ensure the high selectivity of Ni-SiO ₂ catalysts modified by Zn in the dehydrogenation of methylcyclohexane.

In this study, 3%Pd/Al₂O₃, 3%Pt/Al₂O₃ and bimetallic (1%Pd + 2%Pt)/Al₂O₃ catalysts were examined in the total oxidation of methane in a temperature range of 150–400 °C. The evolution of the active component under the reaction conditions was studied by transmission electron microscopy and in situ extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy. It was found that the platinum and bimetallic palladium-platinum catalysts are more stable against sintering than the palladium catalysts. For all the catalysts, the active component forms a “core-shell” structure in which the metallic core is covered by an oxide shell. The “core-shell” structure for the platinum and bimetallic palladium-platinum catalysts is stable in the temperature range of 150–400 °C. However, in the case of the palladium catalysts the metallic core undergoes the reversible oxidation at temperatures above 300 °C and reduced to the metallic state with the decrease in the reaction temperature. The scheme of the active component evolution during the oxidation of methane is proposed and discussed.

A series of CuO_x–TiO₂ photocatalysts were prepared using fresh and thermally activated Evonik Aeroxide P25 titanium dioxide. The photocatalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, XANES, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, and N₂ adsorption technique. Photocatalytic activity of the samples was tested in hydrogen production from aqueous-alcoholic solutions of methylene blue under UV radiation (λ = 386 nm). It was found for the first time the synergistic effect of hydrogen production from two substrates—dye and ethanol. The maximum hydrogen production rate in the system water–ethanol–methylene blue was 1 μmol min⁻¹, which is 25 times higher than a value measured in a 10% solution of ethanol in water. The thermal activation of titania also leads to a change in the rate of hydrogen production. The highest catalytic activity was observed for a CuO_x–TiO₂ photocatalyst based on titania thermally-activated at 600 °C in air. A mechanism of the photocatalytic reaction is discussed.