Studies of the influence of metal-support interaction on the mechanism of the ethanol oxidation reaction on Pd nanoparticles

Author(s)

Gabriel Martins Alvarenga

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: Araraquara. 2018-03-14.
• Institution: Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp). Instituto de Química. Araraquara
• Defense date: 2018-02-22
• Advisor: Hebe de las Mercedes Villullas

Abstract

In this work, a study of the influence on ethanol oxidation of the addition of different amounts of antimony tin oxide (Sb2O5/SnO2  ATO) to the support of Pd nanoparticles was performed. The synthesis procedure used was the phase transfer method and the nanoparticles were supported on a C-oxide mixture. Materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The Pd active areas were determined from the reduction charge of a PdO monolayer obtained from cyclic voltammetric curves. The electrochemical characterization was performed by cyclic voltammetry in alkaline medium and the catalytic activity for the electrochemical oxidation of ethanol was evaluated by chronoamperometry in alkaline solution containing alcohol. Spectro-electrochemical measurements (FTIR) were also performed in order to determine the products and reaction intermediates for the oxidation of ethanol at different potentials. In general, it was observed that the phase transfer method is a good procedure for the synthesis of Pd nanoparticles, for which transmission electron microscopy images showed homogeneously distributed Pd particles having a narrow range of sizes. It was observed that ATO addition to the support promotes changes in the occupation of the Pd 4d band, without variations in the proportion of Pd0 and Pd oxides or shift in binding energy of XPS Pd 3d signals. Furthermore, results evidenced that the ethanol oxidation current density has a strong correlation with the electronic occupation of the Pd 4d band. The analysis of FTIR spectra showed that the addition of ATO to the support of Pd nanoparticles lead to the formation of CO32-/CO2 at lower potentials than on the Pd/C reference material. This study also showed a decrease of catalytic activity for ATO contents above 40% and for Pd particles supported directly on ATO. The results of the studies carried out for Pd/C-ATO catalysts were compared with data obtained for Pd nanoparticles supported on C-TiO2 mixtures. TiO2 addition showed similar effects to those of ATO on the electronic properties of Pd and on XPD Pd 3d spectra. The catalytic activity for ethanol oxidation of Pd/C-TiO2 materials showed trends similar to those observed for catalysts containing ATO, but no formation of CO2 was observed in the FTIR spectra. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 16/05041-5 - Studies of the influence of metal-support interaction on the mechanism of the ethanol oxidation reaction on Pd nanoparticles
• Grantee: Gabriel Martins de Alvarenga
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master