ALD of single atom Pd on grapheme using a Arradiance Benchtop reactor

Here is an interesting report on the fabrication of single-atom Pd catalyst on graphene using ALD by researchers in Hefei, China. Pd ALD was carried out on a GEMSTAR-6TM Benchtop ALD from Arradiance at 150 °C using palladium hexafluoroacetylacetate (Pd(hfac)2) and formalin (37% HCHO and 15% CH3OH in aqueous solution).

Single-Atom Pd1/Graphene Catalyst Achieved by Atomic Layer Deposition: Remarkable Performance in Selective Hydrogenation of 1,3-Butadiene

Huan Yan, Hao Cheng, Hong Yi, Yue Lin, Tao Yao, Chunlei Wang, Junjie Li, Shiqiang Wei, and Junling Lu

Journal of the American Chemical Society

DOI: 10.1021/jacs.5b06485

We reported that atomically dispersed Pd on graphene can be fabricated using the atomic layer deposition technique. Aberration-corrected high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy and X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy both confirmed that isolated Pd single atoms dominantly existed on the graphene support. In selective hydrogenation of 1,3-butadiene, the single-atom Pd1/graphene catalyst showed about 100% butenes selectivity at 95% conversion at a mild reaction condition of about 50 °C, which is likely due to the changes of 1,3-butadiene adsorption mode and enhanced steric effect on the isolated Pd atoms. More importantly, excellent durability against deactivation via either aggregation of metal atoms or carbonaceous deposits during a total 100 h of reaction time on stream was achieved. Therefore, the single-atom catalysts may open up more opportunities to optimize the activity, selectivity, and durability in selective hydrogenation reactions.