Bimetal Ni–Cu/SiO2 hollow spheres have been synthesized by reducing bimetal Ni–Cu silicate hollow spheres with a controllable morphology structure in situ in a hydrogen atmosphere under 750 °C, which are synthesized via a one-step self-template method using SiO2 spheres as templates under hydrothermal conditions. Along with prolonging the reaction time, the surface structure transforms from a sheet to a tube. Ni–Cu/silica had more activity as a catalyst than Ni/silica and commercial Raney Ni with the conversion of nitrobenzene reaching 95% within 1 h.
