Self-Supported PdxBi Catalysts for the Electrooxidation of Glycerol in Alkaline Media

Anna Zalineeva (1) , Alexey Serov (2) , Monica Padilla (2) , Ulises Martinez (2) , Kateryna Artyushkova (2) , Steve Baranton (1) , Christophe Coutanceau (1) , Plamen B. Atanassov (2)

1 IC2MP [Poitiers] - Institut de chimie des milieux et matériaux de Poitiers [UMR 7285]
2 CEET - Center For Emerging Energy Technologies [Albuquerque]

Highly active self-supported PdxBi catalysts are synthesized by the sacrificial support method. Self-supported PdxBi catalysts have a porous nanostructured morphology with high surface areas (in the range from 75 to 100 m(2) g(-1)), making PdxBi a state-of-the-art catalyst. Pd4Bi displays the highest activity toward glycerol oxidation. In situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy highlights the unique catalytic behavior of self-supported PdxBi materials due to their particular structure and morphology. The confinement of reactants and intermediates in pores acting as nanoreactors is responsible for the high selectivity as a function of the electrode potential: aldehyde and ketone at low potentials, hydroxypyruvate at moderate potentials, and CO2 at high potentials. Moreover, the selectivity depends on the electrode history: it is different for the positive potential scan direction than for the reverse direction, where the catalyst becomes selective toward the production of carboxylates.

Domaines: Catalyse

Anna Zalineeva, Alexey Serov, Monica Padilla, Ulises Martinez, Kateryna Artyushkova, et al.. Self-Supported PdxBi Catalysts for the Electrooxidation of Glycerol in Alkaline Media . Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2014, 136 (10), pp.3937-3945. ⟨10.1021/ja412429f⟩. ⟨hal-01326344⟩