An in-depth assessment of properties of core–shell catalysts and their application in the thermocatalytic, photocatalytic, and electrocatalytic conversion of CO ₂ into synthesis gas and valuable hydrocarbons.

In recent years, CO₂ reforming of methane (dry reforming of methane, DRM) has become an attractive research area because it converts two major greenhouse gasses into syngas (CO and H₂), which can be directly used as fuel or feedstock for the chemical industry. Ni‐based catalysts have been extensively used for DRM because of its low cost and good activity. A major concern with Ni‐based catalysts in DRM is severe carbon deposition leading to catalyst deactivation, and a lot of effort has been put into the design and synthesis of stable Ni catalysts with high carbon resistance. One effective and practical strategy is to introduce a second metal to obtain bimetallic Ni‐based catalysts. The synergistic effect between Ni and the second metal has been shown to increase the carbon resistance of the catalyst significantly. In this review, a detailed discussion on the development of bimetallic Ni‐based catalysts for DRM including nickel alloyed with noble metals (Pt, Ru, Ir etc.) and transition metals (Co, Fe, Cu) is presented. Special emphasis has been provided on the underlying principles that lead to synergistic effects and enhance catalyst performance. Finally, an outlook is presented for the future development of Ni‐based bimetallic catalysts.

Thiol- and amino-functionalized SBA-15 silicas with uniform mesoporosities were prepared and employed for removing heavy metal ions from waste water; the thiolated SBA-15 adsorbent exhibited a higher complexation affinity for Hg²⁺, while the other metal ions (Cu²⁺, Zn²⁺, Cr³⁺ and Ni²⁺) showed exceptional binding ability with its aminated analogue.