In the preamble of the following paper (German)

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:Sorbitol is a naturally occurring compound that can be found in many edible fruits, berries, corn, and even marine plants. It has a higher sweetness level than glucose. Sorbitol is primarily used as a sweetener and as a humectant in food production. It is also utilized in various other industries, such as the pharmaceutical and food industries, where it is used in toothpastes, cosmetics, and as a precursor for vitamin C in the chemical industry. :) There are two methods for synthesizing sorbitol: catalytic hydrogenation and electrosynthesis; however, the latter method is no longer used. This study focuses only on the reduction of glucose to sorbitol through catalytic hydrogenation. Glucose, also known as grape sugar, plays an important role in the energy metabolism of plants and animals. :) Catalytic hydrogenation is carried out industrially in stirred-tank reactors or fixed-bed reactors, where glucose is hydrogenated through a heterogeneous catalytic reaction. Sorbitol production can be achieved through discontinuous suspension processes using Raney nickel catalysts, or through continuous suspension processes using nickel-supported catalysts. Recently, continuous processes using structured honeycomb-shaped catalysts have been developed. :) The goal of this thesis is to develop and characterize honeycomb-shaped catalysts for the hydrogenation of glucose. This thesis consists of two parts: one part deals with the development of nickel catalysts, while the other part focuses on characterizing these catalysts. The aim is to create catalysts that are comparable to nickel catalysts and monolithic catalysts. :) The catalyst powders and nickel monoliths produced will be characterized using various analytical methods, including Zeta potential, X-ray diffraction (XRD), inductively coupled plasma spectroscopy (ICP), BET surface area measurement, pore size distribution analysis, reduction behavior analysis (TPR), and metal dispersion analysis (CO chemisorption).