NaBH ₄ Activation of Cobalt‐Based Catalytic Membranes for Enhanced Nitro‐Aromatic Hydrogenation

ABSTRACT

High‐performance catalytic membranes are vital for efficient reactors, yet surface posttreatments remain underexplored. We developed a facile flow‐through NaBH ₄ modification for cobalt‐loaded ceramic membranes (Co@CM). NaBH ₄ treatment precisely modulated the surface chemistry by reducing cobalt oxides, forming active Co─B/Co─OH species, and increasing favorable pyrrolic‐ N content. These transitions significantly boosted reactant adsorption affinity and active site accessibility without compromising permeability. The optimized Co@CM‐30‐52 achieved 100% p ‐nitrophenol conversion within 12 min (a 25% improvement over pristine Co@CM) and demonstrated exceptional stability (12 h) and versatility across diverse nitro‐aromatic substrates. This integrated surface engineering and reactor design offers a robust, efficient strategy for continuous industrial hydrogenation.