High catalytic activity and stability of palladium nanoparticles prepared by the laser electrodispersion method in chlorobenzene hydrodechlorination

Palladium nanoparticles deposited on thermally oxidized silicon and on the carbon support Sibunit by the laser electrodispersion method are extremely active in the gas-phase hydrodechlorination of chlorobenzene at 100–200°C. High conversion of chlorobenzene (above 90%) has been achieved with catalysts with an unusually low metal content (from 10^?4 to 10^?3 wt %). The cyclohexane-to-benzene ratio in the reaction products depends on the process duration, palladium content, and support nature. According to X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) data, palladium in the catalysts retains its metallic state over a long time under the reaction conditions. Possible causes of the high catalytic activity (10⁵ mol (mol Pd)^?1 h^?1) of the palladium nanoparticles and their stability to chlorination are discussed.