“…The XRD patterns of Ni metal in Ni-loaded lignite char catalysts in this study also correspond to the report by Chaiklangmuang et al 18 The occurrences of Ni metals on all catalysts could be explained by the fact that the Ni ions (Ni 2+ ) that were exchanged with the oxygen-containing functional groups (e.g., hydroxyl, carboxyl and metal-carboxylate groups) in the untreated coal and each treated coal were reduced by H 2 and CO and turned into Ni metal (Ni 0 ). 49,50 The H 2 and CO were generated by the decomposition of the aliphatic hydrocarbons, hydroxyl and carboxylate groups of Ni-loaded coal samples during pyrolysis at 650 C. 51,52 The decomposition of the aliphatic hydrocarbons, hydroxyl and carboxylate groups of Ni-loaded lignite coal samples were conrmed by the FTIR spectra of catalysts. In Fig.…”