For the development of effective catalysts for the autothermal reforming of methane, the NiPd catalysts were synthesized based on modified aluminum oxide and their physicochemical properties were studied using X ray diffraction analysis, low temperature nitrogen adsorption, transmission electron micros copy, and temperature programmed reduction with hydrogen. It was found that the variation of modifying components (CeO 2 , ZrO 2 , La 2 O 3 , Ce 0.5 Zr 0.5 O 2 , and La 2 O 3 /Ce 0.5 Zr 0.5 O 2 ) and their concentrations (10-30 wt %) makes it possible to regulate the particle size of NiO, the composition of a Ni containing phase (NiO, La 2 NiO 4 , NiAl 2 O 4 , or Ni-La-Al-O) and the redox properties of nickel ions. It was shown that the average particle size of NiO increased from 6.7 to 17.5 nm in the following order of supports: . On the introduction of the modifying oxides CeO 2 and ZrO 2 into aluminum oxide, the fraction of nickel in the composition of NiAl 2 O 4 decreased and, therefore, the fraction of difficult to reduce Ni 2+ decreased. The addition of La 2 O 3 and La 2 O 3 /Ce 0.5 Zr 0.5 O 2 strengthened the interaction of nickel cations with the support up to the formation of Ni-La-Al-O and La 2 NiO 4 phases and increased the fraction of difficult to reduce Ni 2+ ions. The resulting NiPd catalysts are promising in the catalysis of the autothermal reforming of methane.

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A nickel containing monomer, Ni(AAEMA)2 (AAEMA− = deprotonated form of 2‐(acetoacetoxy) ethyl methacrylate) is co‐polymerized with ethyl methacrylate (co‐monomer) and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (cross‐linker). The obtained polymer is a green methacrylic resin containing Ni(II) centers homogeneously dispersed in the catalyst, which results insoluble in all common organic solvents and in water. The specific features of this material classify it as an amphiphilic resin, air and moisture stable, with the peculiarity to swell in halogenated solvents, acetone and water and to shrink in diethyl ether and petroleum ether. The polymer is calcined under reductive conditions (dihydrogen with initial pressure of 5 bar) following two procedures, differing from each other for the cooling conditions. In the first procedure, the calcined material is cooled under dihydrogen gas, while in the second one the cooling step occurs under air. After calcination, the green Ni(II)‐based co‐polymer turns into black resins, Ni‐res1 (obtained by cooling under hydrogen) and Ni‐res2 ((obtained by cooling under air). FESEM analyses show that both Ni‐res1 and Ni‐res2 support Ni nanoparticles with different morphologies, being the metal nanoparticles onto Ni‐res1 smaller than the ones dispersed in Ni‐res2, that have an urchin‐like shape. Both Ni‐based co‐polymers are tested as catalysts in the reduction of nitrobenzene with NaBH4. Ni‐res1 results more active and selective towards aniline with respect to Ni‐res2.