Photoemission from small palladium clusters supported on various substrates

Factors Influencing the Performance of Pd/C Catalysts in the Green Production of Hydrogen from Formic Acid

Formic acid derived from biomass is known to be used for hydrogen production over Pd catalysts. The effects of preparation variables, structure of the carbon support, surface functional composition on the state of Pd, and catalytic properties of the samples in the vapor-phase decomposition of formic acid were studied. In all catalysts derived from Pd acetate, metal particles visible by conventional TEM had similar sizes, but the adsorption capacity towards CO responded strongly to N-doping of the carbon surface. Moreover, a decrease in the CO/Pd values was accompanied by a significant increase in the reaction rate. Taking account of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and atomic resolution high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF/STEM) data, the trends observed were assigned to a larger fraction of single electron-deficient Pd atoms in the N-doped samples, which do not adsorb CO but interact with formic acid to produce hydrogen. This was confirmed by extended DFT studies. The obtained results are valuable for the development of Pd catalysts on carbon supports for different processes.

Growth of transition metals on cerium tungstate model catalyst layers

Two model catalytic metal/oxide systems were investigated by photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy. The mixed-oxide support was a cerium tungstate epitaxial thin layer grown in situ on the W(1 1 0) single crystal. Active particles consisted of palladium and platinum 3D islands deposited on the tungstate surface at 300 K. Both metals were found to interact weakly with the oxide support and the original chemical state of both support and metals was mostly preserved. Electronic and morphological changes are discussed during the metal growth and after post-annealing at temperatures up to 700 K. Partial transition-metal coalescence and self-cleaning from the CO and carbon impurities were observed.

Pd clusters supported on amorphous, low-porosity carbon spheres for hydrogen production from formic acid

Amorphous, low-porosity carbon spheres on the order of a few micrometers in size were prepared by carbonization of squalane (C30H62) in supercritical CO2 at 823 K. The spheres were characterized and used as catalysts' supports for Pd. Near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure studies of the spheres revealed sp(2) and sp(3) hybridized carbon. To activate carbons for interaction with a metal precursor, often oxidative treatment of a support is needed. We showed that boiling of the obtained spheres in 28 wt % HNO3 did not affect the shape and bulk structure of the spheres, but led to creation of a considerable amount of surface oxygen-containing functional groups and increase of the content of sp(2) hybridized carbon on the surface. This carbon was seen by scanning transmission electron microscopy in the form of waving graphene flakes. The H/C atomic ratio in the spheres was relatively high (0.4) and did not change with the HNO3 treatment. Palladium was deposited by impregnation with Pd acetate followed by reduction in H2. This gave uniform Pd clusters with a size of 2-4 nm. The Pd supported on the original C spheres showed 2-3 times higher catalytic activity in vapor phase formic acid decomposition and higher selectivity for H2 formation (98-99%) than those for the catalyst based on the HNO3 treated spheres. Using of such low-porosity spheres as a catalyst support should prevent mass transfer limitations for fast catalytic reactions.

Multiple Coordination of CO on Molybdenum Nanoparticles: Evidence for Intermediate Mox(CO)y Species by XPS and UPS

CO chemisorption on the metallic molybdenum nanoparticles supported on the thin alumina film was investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS). A binary compound of molybdenum and CO is found to be formed on the surface upon CO dose, accompanied with a positive binding energy shift of the Mo 3d doublet and a localized Mo 4d valence band. A loose packing of the metallic molybdenum favors the formation of this intermediate Mox(CO)y species. The formation of the Mox(CO)y species implies that the property of the metallic molybdenum nanoparticles on the thin alumina film is much different from that of the bulk molybdenum, indicating a significant nanometer size effect.