Design and synthesis of model and practical palladium catalysts using atomic layer deposition

• Published in: Catalysis science & technology Vol. 6; no. 18; pp. 6845 - 6852
• Main Authors: Lu, Zheng, Kizilkaya, Orhan, Kropf, A. Jeremy, Piernavieja-Hermida, Mar, Miller, Jeffrey T., Kurtz, Richard L., Elam, Jeffrey W., Lei, Yu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Royal Society of Chemistry 01.01.2016
• Subjects: Atomic layer deposition; Catalysis; Catalysts; Palladium; Synchrotrons; Synthesis (chemistry); Titanium dioxide; X rays
• ISSN: 2044-4753; 2044-4761
• DOI: 10.1039/C6CY00682E

We investigated the “one-batch” synthesis of model and practical palladium catalysts using atomic layer deposition (ALD). Two types of model catalysts and one type of powder-based nanocatalyst were synthesized simultaneously by ALD under viscous flow conditions. In addition, Pd/TiO 2 (110) model catalysts were prepared by the identical ALD process but under ultrahigh vacuum conditions. Because of the self-limiting surface reaction that defines ALD, the local structure of all the Pd catalysts were essentially the same as confirmed by a suite of microscopic and spectroscopic characterization techniques. A comprehensive understanding of the Pd-based catalysts was achieved by applying both surface science probes and advanced synchrotron techniques, and by strategically selecting the catalyst substrate best suited for each characterization. Both X-ray absorption spectroscopy and X-ray resonant photoelectron spectroscopy suggested that Pd only weakly interacted with the TiO 2 support. The one-batch synthesis approach facilitated by ALD can potentially bridge the “synthesis gap” between model catalysts and practical catalysts.