Pd local structure and size correlations on the activity of Pd/ TiO2 for photocatalytic reforming of methanol

DOI: 10.1039/C9CP00826H

Authors: Hasliza Bahruji (Universiti Brunei Darussalam) , Norli Abdullah (The UK Catalysis Hub, Research Complex at Harwell; University College London; National Defence University of Malaysia) , Scott M. Rogers (The UK Catalysis Hub, Research Complex at Harwell; University College London) , Peter P. Wells (University of Southampton; .Diamond Light Source) , C. Richard A. Catlow (The UK Catalysis Hub, Research Complex at Harwell; University College London; Cardiff University) , Michael Bowker (The UK Catalysis Hub, Research Complex at Harwell; Cardiff University)
Co-authored by industrial partner: No

Type: Journal Paper
Journal: Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics

State: Published (Approved)
Published: June 2019
Diamond Proposal Number(s): 10306

Abstract: The interaction between Pd and TiO2 for promoting photocatalytic activity was investigated by tailoring the size of Pd nanoparticles and monitoring the photocatalytic activity of methanol photo-reforming reaction for hydrogen gas production. We show that at 0.6 % wt. Pd loading, catalyst with highly dispersed nanoparticles obtained at 1 oC temperature exhibits superior photocatalytic activity for hydrogen gas production. At different weight of Pd loading, tailoring two sets of catalysts with different structural properties provide correlation between the changes of Pd local structures with the rate of hydrogen production. The impact of controlling the structural properties of metal nanoparticles in influencing H2 production outweighs the effect of metal loading variation. The differences of Pd/TiO2 activity at the variation of metal loading were correlated with the changes in Pd local structure consequently affecting electronic transfer and photocatalytic efficiency.

Subject Areas: Chemistry, Energy


Instruments: B18-Core EXAFS