01-06-2016
Atomically dispersed noble metal catalysts often exhibit high catalytic performances, but the metal loading density must be kept low (usually below 0.5%) to avoid the formation of metal nanoparticles through sintering. We report a photochemical strategy to fabricate a stable atomically dispersed palladium–titanium oxide catalyst (Pd1/TiO2) on ethylene glycolate (EG)–stabilized ultrathin TiO2 nanosheets containing Pd up to 1.5%. The Pd1/TiO2 catalyst exhibited high catalytic activity in hydrogenation of C=C bonds, exceeding that of surface Pd atoms on commercial Pd catalysts by a factor of 9. No decay in the activity was observed for 20 cycles. More important, the Pd1/TiO2-EG system could activate H2 in a heterolytic pathway, leading to a catalytic enhancement in hydrogenation of aldehydes by a factor of more than 55. The X-ray absorption spectra at the Pd K-edge were recorded at the XAS station (BL14W1) of the Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility (SSRF).
Catalytic performances of Pd1/TiO2 and reference materials in styrene hydrogenation.
Links: DOI: 10.1126/science.aaf5251
