Synergistic Catalysis: Investigating H2O2 Production over Mesoporous Carbons Supported Bimetallic Au-Pd Nanoparticles

Abstract

Developing catalytic processes to directly produce hydrogen peroxide from molecular oxygen and hydrogen is necessary for the commercialization of hydrogen peroxide as a green oxidant. Bimetallic Au-Pd nanoparticles supported on sequential CMK-3 carbon catalyst that had been acid-pre-treated showed high H2O2 production and high H2 selectivity (>99%). Stable particles with a size of about 2 nm are produced when nanoparticles are encapsulated in the pore network. The introduction of gold is facilitated by metal to metal dispersion, but more significantly, it lowers the H2O2 dissociation balance, which is critical for process economy. Hydrogen Peroxide Synthesis and Catalyst Design. Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is a green oxidant with high atomic economy and environmental benefits. Balancing selectivity and activity for DSHP is challenging due to side reactions and mass transfer limitations. Combining theoretical understanding with controllable nanocatalyst synthesis can facilitate the design of "dream catalysts." Factors affecting catalyst performance include catalyst support, active component, and atomic impurity. The coupling of DSHP and other oxidation reactions is crucial for one-pot in situ oxidation reactions.