Effect of the Structure of Carbon Nanofibers on the State of an Active Component and on the Catalytic Properties of Pd/C Catalysts in the Selective Hydrogenation of 1,3-Butadiene

The state of highly dispersed palladium particles supported on filamentous carbon was studied using high-resolution electron microscopy, XPS, and X-ray diffraction analysis. Three types of filamentous carbon were used, in which the basal planes of graphite were arranged along, across, and at an angle to the nanofiber axis. The amount of supported palladium was 0.25–5.8 wt %. The structure of the carbon support was found to affect the properties of the active component. Highly dispersed palladium particles exhibited the strongest interaction with a carbon surface formed by the butt ends of graphite (002) layers. This interaction resulted in electron transfer from the metal to the support and in the stabilization of palladium in the most dispersed state. A change in the properties of palladium particles caused a change in the catalytic properties of Pd/C catalysts in the reaction of selective 1,3-butadiene hydrogenation to butenes. The strong interaction of Pd²⁺ with the butt ends of graphite resulted in the stabilization of palladium in an ionic state. An increase in the fraction of Pd²⁺ in the catalysts was responsible for a decrease in both the overall activity and selectivity of Pd/C catalysts in the reaction of 1,3-butadiene hydrogenation to butenes.     

Palladium nanostructures and nanoparticles from molecular precursors on highly ordered pyrolytic graphite

Nanostructures and nanoparticles of palladium assembled on highly ordered pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) by the adsorption of palladium molecular precursors (MPs), in dichloromethane solutions, have been prepared. Self-assemblies of palladium nanostructures on HOPG were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM) techniques. In this work, palladium rings had a wide variety of sizes in the nanometer range, and the ring/tube structures were preserved after a reductive process in which palladium metallic nanoparticles were formed. Noncircular structures were observed at HOPG defects and atomic step sites, as well. It is proposed that the observed ring formation of the palladium molecular precursors on HOPG substrates is related to the functional groups in the MPs, van der Waals interactions between particles and between particle-substrate, as well as the wetting properties of the solvent. In the present work, we illustrate several examples of the formation and characterization of palladium complex tubes and the resulting palladium rings, via the reduction process.     

Mechanism of modification by palladium in graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry

The effects of palladium and mixtures containing palladium on the absorbance characteristics of lead, thallium, cadmium, selenium, manganese and cobalt are described. These data, together with results of scanning electron microscopy showing the distribution of palladium on the graphite surface, indicate that palladium has a physical mechanism of analyte modification. During furnace heating, the analyte dissolves in molten palladium and may combine with it chemically. However, the rate limiting step leading to atomization appears to be diffusion of the analyte from palladium. The addition of magnesium, molybdenum or powdered carbon increases the speed of diffusion by causing palladium to form smaller droplets, and hence produces sharper absorbance peaks. Palladium becomes less effective as the atomization temperature increases, because the rate of diffusion is higher. This accounts for palladium having only a small stabilizing effect on less volatile elements such as manganese and cobalt. The addition of ascorbic acid to palladium has no significant effect on its modifying properties in a dilute nitric acid matrix. Results of kinetic studies on the atomization of gold are consistent with analyte diffusion out of palladium as the rate-limiting step leading to atomization.     

Low-temperature transformations of sodium sulfate and sodium selenite in the presence of pre-reduced palladium modifier in graphite furnaces for electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry

The low-temperature interaction (up to 550°C) of a pre-reduced palladium modifier with sodium sulfate and sodium selenite on the pyrolytic graphite platform was studied using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and electron microprobe analysis. The equipment applied allowed the introduction of samples heated in an argon flow into the analytical chamber of the XPS spectrometer without contact with the air. Electron microprobe analysis showed that palladium and sulfur preferably occupy different areas on the platform surface. On the contrary, selenium from sodium selenite tends to occupy areas of the graphite surface covered with palladium. The most probable reason for this is the chemisorption of selenium (IV) on the palladium surface at the drying stage. No changes in the XPS spectra of metallic Pd and S⁶⁺ were observed when Na₂SO₄ and Pd were heated together on the graphite platform in the range 100–550°C. The reduction of sodium selenite on the graphite surface already starts during drying. Pre-reduced palladium intensifies this process. The rate of the reduction is proportional to the amount of palladium, and in the presence of palladium at an atomic ratio of Pd/Se=7.5, the transformation of Se⁴⁺ into Se⁰ completes at 250°C.     

Automated on-line separation preconcentration system for palladium determination by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry and its application to palladium determination in environmental and food samples

A flow injection (FI) system was used to develop an efficient on-line sorbent extraction preconcentration system for palladium by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS). The investigated metal was preconcentrated on a microcolumn packed with 1,5-bis(di-2-pyridyl)methylene thiocarbohydrazide immobilized on silica gel (DPTH-gel). The palladium is eluted with 40 μl of HCl 4 M and directly introduced into the graphite furnace. The detection limit for palladium under the optimum conditions was 0.4 ng ml⁻¹. This procedure was employed to determine palladium in different samples.     

Graphite fluoride intercalation compounds for manufacturing composites with metal nanoparticles

The feasibility of using graphite fluoride intercalation compounds (GFICs) containing metal compounds for manufacturing metal nanoparticles in a graphite or graphite fluoride matrix is shown using the hydrogen reduction of a dicarbon fluoride matrix intercalated with a chloroform solution of palladium acetylacetonate Pd(AA)₂. The composite manufactured with a GFIC containing about 10.5 wt % Pd(AA)₂ at 80°C is Pd-fluorographite; at 450°C, Pd-graphite is manufactured. The palladium particle size in the composites is about 20–30 nm; the palladium concentration is about 5 and 9 wt %, respectively.     

Zerovalent metal polymer composites. II. Metal–polymer microdispersions

Metallization of water-soluble polymers incorporating metal-binding ligand is achieved by binding palladium ions at substoichiometric quantities, followed by reduction to polymer–zero-valent palladium complex and deposition of transition metal ions by electroless plating solutions. The polymers studied include poly[N,N,N-trimethyl-N-(m- and p-vinylbenzyl)ammonium chloride], poly-L -glutamic acid, poly-L -lysine, and a copolymer of 2-phenylhydroquinone-2-amino-phthalic acid. Noble metal polyelectrolyte solutions were directly reduced with dimethylamineborane to stable microdispersions. The reactive nickel, cobalt and copper microdispersions were coated on KODAK ESTAR filmbase. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), ESCA, and IR were used for material characterization. Conductivity and magnetic properties were also measured. Hydrophobic materials such as graphite and fluorinated graphite were metallized in organic solvents using hydrophobic trioctylammonium–tetrachloropalladate as the activating noble metal complex. The metallized conductive graphites were evaluated for their electrochemical properties.     

Determination of platinum and palladium in environmental samples by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry after separation on dithizone sorbent

A graphite furnace atomic absorption method of platinum and palladium determination after their separation from environmental samples has been presented. The samples were digested by aqua regia and the analyte elements were separated on the dithizone sorbent. The procedure of sorbent preparation was described and their properties were established. Two various procedures of elution by thiourea and concentrated nitric acid were described and discussed. The low limit of detection was established as 1 ng g⁻¹ for platinum and 0.2 ng g⁻¹ for palladium.There was also investigated the behaviour of platinum and palladium introduced into the soil in various chemical forms.     

Crown ethers in stripping voltammetry of palladium

The similarity in the structures (presence of hexatomic rings) of crown ethers and graphite is used for adsorptive modification of the graphite electrode surface. The effect is exploited in stripping voltammetry for the determination of palladium. Anodic currents observed at potentials of 0.6 to 0.65 V (vs. Ag/AgCI electrode) are the source of information about adsorption of the crown ethers. Maximum adsorption of the reagents takes place at potentials close to the potential of zero charge of graphite. Deposition of palladium on the electrode surface is enhanced, the closer the values of the diameters of the crown-ether rings and Pd(II) are.     

Pinning of size-selected Pd nanoclusters on graphite

The production of stable cluster arrays on smooth surfaces has several potential technological applications. We report a study of the pinning of size-selected palladium nanoclusters on the graphite surface. The clusters formed during gas aggregation in vacuum are projected with sufficient kinetic energy to create a defect in the graphite surface. The energy necessary to create such an immobilizing defect is investigated as a function of the palladium cluster size. The palladium pinning energy is found to deviate from the simple binary collision model as appropriate to previously reported silver and gold results. This finding is in agreement with the deviation of nickel clusters and points to the influence of the interatomic cluster bonding on the mechanics of the collision.     

Sensitive Flow-Injection Electrochemical Determination of Hydrogen Peroxide at a Palladium Nanoparticle-Modified Pencil Graphite Electrode

A novel flow-injection amperometric method was proposed for the sensitive and enzymeless determination of hydrogen peroxide based on its electrocatalytic reduction at a palladium nanoparticle-modified pretreated pencil graphite electrode in a laboratory-constructed electrochemical flow cell. Cyclic voltammograms of the unmodified and modified electrodes were recorded in pH 7.0 phosphate buffer containing 0.10 M KCl at a scan rate of 50?mV s^?1 for the investigation of electrocatalytic reduction of hydrogen peroxide at the palladium nanoparticle-modified pretreated pencil graphite electrode. Cyclic voltammograms of the pretreated pencil graphite electrode revealed an irreversible oxidation peak and a weak reduction peak of hydrogen peroxide at +1100?mV and –450?mV vs. an Ag/AgCl/KCl saturated reference electrode. However, the reduction of hydrogen peroxide was observed at –100?mV with an increase in current in the cyclic voltammograms of the palladium nanoparticle-modified pretreated pencil graphite electrode compared to the unmodified electrode. These results indicate that the palladium nanoparticle-modified pretreated pencil graphite electrode exhibits efficient electrocatalytic activity for the reduction of hydrogen peroxide. A linear concentration range was obtained between .01 and 10.0?mM hydrogen peroxide with a detection limit of 3.0 µM from flow injection amperometric current–time curves recorded in pH 7.0 phosphate buffer at –100?mV and a 2.0?mL min^?1 flow rate. The novelty of this work relies on its use of a laboratory-constructed flow cell constructed for the pencil graphite electrode using these inexpensive, disposable, and electrochemically reactive modified electrodes for the amperometric determination of hydrogen peroxide in a flow injection analysis system.     

Continuous flow hydride generation for the preconcentration and determination of arsenic and antimony by GFAAS

A method has been developed for the determination of arsenic and antimony at sub-ppb level using hydride preconcentration inside the graphite furnace. The influence of the quality of the graphite surface, of its modification with palladium coating and of the ways of introducing hydride into the furnace on the analytical signal is discussed. After optimization of system parameters, detection limits of 25 and 36 pg were obtained for arsenic and antimony. Characteristic masses (for arsenic and antimony, respectively) were 31 and 33 pg/0.0044 A·s for direct injection GFAAS and 69 and 57 pg/0.0044 A·s for hydride in situ preconcentration and atomization in the palladium coated graphite tube. Therefore the overall efficiency of the hydride generation and trapping was estimated to be 45 and 58% for arsenic and antimony, respectively.     

Determination of Palladium by Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometry After Preconcentration with MCI GEL CHP 20P Resin as Sorbent

A solid phase extraction and graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry for the determination of palladium with MCI GEL CHP 20P resin as sorbent was studied. Trace amounts of palladium was reacted with 2-ethylhexyl octyl sulfide followed by adsorption onto MCI GEL CHP 20P solid phase extraction column, and ethanol was used as eluent. The enrichment factor of this method for palladium was reached at 250. The detection limit in the original sample for palladium was found to be 0.0048 ng mL^?1. The proposed method has been successfully applied to the determination of trace amounts of palladium in different samples.     

Determination of palladium and platinum by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry after deposition on a graphite tube

The inner wall of a pyrolytically coated graphite tube served as the surface for adsorptive accumulation and/or for electrodeposition of palladium and platinum. A flow system for this preconcentration was constructed. For the electrodeposition a three-electrode arrangement was used. The flow rate for deposition, the medium and deposition potentials were optimized. After the deposition step, the graphite tube was placed into the graphite furnace and an atomization programme was applied. The procedure was applied for the determination of Pd and Pt in airborne particulates.     

Preconcentration of palladium in a flow-through electrochemical cell for determination by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry

An electrochemical preconcentration at a controlled potential on the electrode in a flow-through mode followed by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometric (GFAAS) detection is proposed for determination of trace amounts of palladium. After electrolysis the polarization of the electrodes was changed and deposited metal was dissolved electrochemically in the presence of an appropriate stripping reagent. Conditions for the electrodeposition, such as pH of the solutions, a deposition potential, dissolution potential and a composition of stripping solution were optimised. The graphite electrode (GE) and glassy carbon electrode (GCE) were tested for the palladium reduction process. The detection limit of 0.05 ng ml⁻¹ Pd (1 pg) was obtained after palladium preconcentration on the GCE and dissolution with 0.2 mol l⁻¹ thiourea in 0.1 mol l⁻¹ HCl followed by GFAAS detection. The method was applied for the determination of palladium in spiked tap water and road dust samples.     

A photoelectron spectroscopic study of the effect of particle size on the adsorbed state of carbon monoxide over supported palladium catalysts

UPS experiments on the adsorbed state of carbon monoxide over Pd/graphite model catalysts at 77–653 K have been performed. The CO-derived levels, (5σ + 1π) and 4σ, shift to higher with binding energy with decrease in the palladium particle size. Upon warming, the included levels on smaller Pd particles disappeared at much lower temperature than those on larger palladium particles.     

Submolecular visualisation of palladium acetate complexation with a bipyridine derivative at a graphite surface

In situ complexation of palladium acetate by a monolayer of a bipyridine derivative at a graphite/liquid interface has been observed using scanning tunneling microscopy.     

Properties of Pd–Ag/C catalysts in the reaction of selective hydrogenation of acetylene

Samples of Pd/C and Pd–Ag/C, where C represents carbon nanofibers (CNFs), are synthesized by methane decomposition on a Ni–Cu–Fe/Al₂O₃ catalyst. The properties of Pd/CNF are studied in the reaction of selective hydrogenation of acetylene into ethylene. It is found that the activity of the catalyst in hydrogenation reaction increases, while selectivity decreases considerably when the palladium content rises. The obtained dependences are caused by the features of palladium’s interaction with the carbon support. At a low Pd content (up to 0.04 wt %) in the catalyst, the metal is inserted into the interlayer space of graphite and the catalytic activity is zero. It is established by EXAFS that the main share of palladium in catalysts of 0.05–0.1 wt % Pd/CNF constitutes the metal in the atomically dispersed state. The coordination environment of palladium atoms consists of carbon atoms. An increase in the palladium content in a Pd/CNF catalyst up to 0.3 wt % leads to the formation of highly dispersed (0.8–1 nm) Pd particles. The Pd/CNF samples where palladium is mainly in the atomically dispersed state exhibit the highest selectivity in the acetylene hydrogenation reaction. The addition of silver to a 0.1 wt % Pd/CNF catalyst initially probably leads to the formation of Pd–Ag clusters and then to alloyed Pd–Ag particles. An increase in the silver content in the catalyst above 0.3% causes the enlargement of the alloyed particles and the palladium atoms are blocked by a silver layer, which considerably decreases the catalytic activity in the selective hydrogenation of acetylene.     

Palladium and magnesium nitrates,a more universal modifier for graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry

A mixture of palladium and magnesium nitrates was found to be a very powerful modifier for the determination of As, Bi, In, Pb, Sb, Se, Sn, Te and Tl in graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. Thermal pretreatment temperatures of 900-1400°C can be used with the proposed modifier. This is in most cases substantially more than what can be applied with the modifiers recommended up to now, so that separation of the analyte from the concomitants should be easier. This is shown to be true for the determination of lead in sea water and of selenium in biological materials. Optimum atomization temperatures are more uniform and typically around 2000°C for the investigated elements when the palladium and magnesium nitrates mixed modifier is used. This modifier therefore allows the use of common conditions for all the investigated elements with a minimum sacrifice in sensitivity, an important pre-requirement for multi-element furnace techniques. The proposed mixed modifier also minimizes the risk of contamination because palladium as well as magnesium nitrate can be obtained in high purity, and both elements are infrequently determined in the graphite furnace.     

Investigation on the Thermostability of Germanium and Elimination of Chloride and Sulfate.Interference on Germanium in Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometry

TheadvantageofdeterminationoftraceGebyGF.AASisthatonlyafewmicrolitersofsampleisused.Butthematrixinterference,especiallychlorideionandsulfateionisveryseriousl.Sothereisanimportantsubjectforfurtherinvestigatingtoeliminatetheseinterferences.Nitricacidisanoxidant.ThetetravalentGeisstabilizedowingtoitsoxidation.ThemagnitudeoftheGesignalvarieswiththeconcentrationofnitricacidandthemaximumoftheGesignalisobservedwith0.6mol/Lnitricacid.Theactionofsomenitratesissimilarbuttheconcentrationofvariousnit…