Synergetic effect of gold in Au/Pd catalysts during hydrodesulfurization reactions of model compounds

Abstract The simultaneous formation of colloidal dispersions of Pd and Au metal particles protected by the organic polymer polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) in reducing alcohol solution was used for the synthesis of new silica-supported monometallic and bimetallic Au x Pd y catalysts with different x / y ratios. The samples, with a 2 wt% total metal loading, after air calcinations at 673 K to remove the PVP, were characterized by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and FTIR spectra of chemisorbed CO. Formation of alloyed Au x Pd y particles of different metal composition with consequent modification of their electronic and geometric properties was ascertained. The catalytic activi…