Sol-Gel Synthesis of NiO-Fe₂O₃-SiO₂/Al₂O₃ Catalysts with Statistical and AI-Based Analysis of Experimental Results

The development of efficient and cost-effective catalysts is crucial for modern catalytic processes, especially in oxidation reactions. In this study, a sol-gel method was successfully adapted for the synthesis of NiO-Fe₂O₃-SiO₂/Al₂O₃ catalysts. The optimized sol-gel process incorporates precise heat treatment control, enabling the production of catalysts with a particle size of 44 nm and a specific surface area of 134.79 m²/g. Extensive characterization revealed several significant advantages: a decrease in the heat treatment temperature to 400 °C, maintaining high material dispersion, and eliminating expensive modifiers. Critical synthesis parameters were identified: the Ni/Fe ratio and the heating rate of the heat treatment. Catalytic activity was demonstrated in a model reaction of decane oxidation. Experimental results were confirmed by statistical analysis, and large language models further assisted in the mechanistic interpretation of the results.