6533b82cfe1ef96bd1290055

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Localization of alkali metal ions in sodium-promoted palladium catalysts as studied by low energy ion scattering and transmission electron microscopy

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Three series of palladium-based catalysts have been studied by Low Energy Ion Scattering (LEIS) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The first series is comprised of Na-Pd/SiO{sub 2} catalysts, obtained by addition of palladium to a silica support and by further addition of sodium ions with a Na/Pd atomic ratio (R) equal to 0,6.4 and 25.6. The second series consists of palladium catalysts supported on natural pumice, in which, due to a different loading of supported palladium, R{prime}, the (Na+K)/Pd atomic ratio, is equal to 17.0 and 39.4. The third series is represented by two palladium-based catalysts supported on {open_quotes}model pumices,{close_quotes} synthetic silico-aluminates, obtained by sol-gel techniques, with a different amount of sodium, and R equal to 2.1 and 6.1 respectively. LEIS experiments and electron microscopy demonstrate a different location of alkali metal ions in the first two series: in the Na-Pd/SiO{sub 2} catalysts sodium is distributed in a way which is not uniform on the support and on the palladium metal, which is partly decorated with Na ions, whereas in the Pd/natural-pumice series the palladium surface is sodium-free. The results on the third series of catalysts, Pd/model pumice, are not definitive on the basis of the LEIS and TEM analyses,more » but by FTIR study of CO and CO{sub 2} adsorption, the decoration of palladium by sodium ions could be excluded. The results confirm the importance of the alkali metal ion location in alkali-promoted palladium catalysts and open new possibilities in the design of palladium-supported catalysts by a better control of promoter location. 18 refs., 5 figs., 2 tabs.« less