Abstract
Novel magnetite-supported palladium catalysts, in the form of nanofiber materials, were prepared by using the electrospinning process. Two different synthetic techniques were used to add palladium to the nanofibers: (i) the wet impregnation of palladium on the Fe3O4 electrospun support forming the Pd/Fe3O4[wnf] catalyst or (ii) the direct co-electrospinning of a solution containing both metal precursor specimens leading to a Pd/Fe3O4[cnf] sample. The obtained Pd-based Fe3O4 nanofibers were tested in the transfer hydrogenolysis of benzyl phenyl ether (BPE), one of the simplest lignin-derived aromatic ethers, by using 2-propanol as H-donor/solvent, and their performances were compared with the analogous impregnated Pd/Fe3O4 catalyst and a commercial Pd/C. A morphological and structural characterization of the investigated catalysts was performed by means of SEM-EDX, TGA-DSC, XRD, TEM, H2-TPR, and N2 isotherm at 77 K analysis. Pd/Fe3O4[wnf] was found to be the best catalytic system allowing a complete BPE conversion after 360 min at 240 °C and a good reusability in up to six consecutive recycling tests.
Highlights
In the last several decades, thanks to all opportunities offered by nanotechnology and nanoscience, a huge advance in the preparation methods of heterogeneous supported catalysts has been observed [1,2,3]
By using Pd/Fe3 O4 [wnf], a good benzyl phenyl ether (BPE) conversion (60%) was registered, with toluene (TOL)
The electrospinning technique was efficiently employed to prepare Pd-based catalysts on iron oxide to be used in the transfer hydrogenolysis reaction of benzyl phenyl ether
Summary
In the last several decades, thanks to all opportunities offered by nanotechnology and nanoscience, a huge advance in the preparation methods of heterogeneous supported catalysts (impregnation, precipitation/co-precipitation, chemical vapor deposition, grafting, etc.) has been observed [1,2,3]. A great deal of attention has been paid to the development of synthetic procedures that can opportunely tune the textural properties of materials, driving their catalytic performances [1,2,3]. In this context, one-dimensional (1D) nanocatalysts have recently gained consideration [4,5,6], highlighting how nanofibrous supports can improve the metal dispersion, allowing an increase of the surface area-to-volume ratio that enhances the catalytic performance [7,8].
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