Identifying the role of N-heteroatom location in the activity of metal catalysts for alcohol oxidation

This work focuses on understanding how the proximate location and bonding of N heteroatoms affect the stability and reactivity of Pd-based catalysts for the oxidation of alcohols in the solution. The results show that the simple adsorption of N groups, from the solution, has a detrimental effect on the catalytic activity and stability. In contrast, chemically bound N moieties within the carbon structure improve these properties, which limits the leaching of metal and coarsening of metal particles. Moreover, the benefits of N atoms are realized only if the N atom is covalently bonded to the support and not directly bonded to the Pd nanoparticles. Perfect bonding: Differently bound nitrogen groups have a significant effect on catalytic activity. Simply adding nitrogen groups using solution chemistry is insufficient to improve catalytic properties. Instead, a strongly bound nitrogen moiety within the activated carbon structure enhances the activity and stability of the Pd nanoparticles.