Although metal foams are not as commonly used as conventional catalyst supports such as carbonaceous materials, metal oxides, zeolites, and MOFs, they offer numerous advantages including a macroporous 3-D framework ensuring full coverage of the supported catalyst, intrinsic ease of handling, manipulation, high recyclability, and circumvention of additional steps typically required to pack, adhere, and deliver powder systems. Herein, a novel design of palladium nanocatalysts (NCs) on a polydopamine modified nickel foam is reported. NCs were created through a facile hydrothermal process, followed by atomic layer deposition (ALD) of a thin Al2O3 overcoat. The thin layer of polydopamine on Ni foam surface enhanced the uniform dispersion of NCs on Ni foam and Al2O3 ALD reduced the agglomeration of NCs and stabilized the material for multiple usage. The performance of the catalysts was evaluated by hydrogenation of nitrobenzene with H2. Even under mild conditions (3 bar H2, 50 °C), near quantitative conversions were observed (TON > 10000 based on %w Pd as active component). Most importantly, the catalysts proved to be highly recyclable. Quantitative conversions were found for hydrogenation of over thirty nitroaromatic, styrene, and phenylacetylene derivatives with H2 gas at low temprature, all with excellent selectivity. This promising framework can readily be extended to other noble-, and non-noble metal NCs.

Facile design for highly reactive, robust, and reusable precious-metal-based nanocatalysts secured on contiguous nickel foams

Fall 2022 abstracts, posters, and presentations will launch in mid-September.

ACS Fall 2022

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.