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Direct Methyl Formate Formation from Methanol over Supported Palladium Nanoparticles at Low Temperature
Author(s) -
Wojcieszak Roberto,
Gaigneaux Eric M.,
Ruiz Patricio
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
chemcatchem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.497
H-Index - 106
eISSN - 1867-3899
pISSN - 1867-3880
DOI - 10.1002/cctc.201200325
Subject(s) - palladium , methanol , methyl formate , catalysis , formate , microemulsion , selectivity , chemistry , inorganic chemistry , chemisorption , nanoparticle , particle size , solvent , materials science , pulmonary surfactant , organic chemistry , nanotechnology , biochemistry
Palladium nanoparticles of different sizes and supported on TiO 2 (2 wt. %) were synthesized by using the water‐in‐oil microemulsion method. The control of palladium nanoparticles was investigated in terms of the nature of organic surfactant and solvent. Attention was paid to the reduction of palladium ions in solution during synthesis. Materials were characterized by N 2 ‐BET at low temperature, XRD, XPS, H 2 chemisorption, and TEM and were tested in the gas phase oxidation of methanol. The results confirmed the effect of microemulsion composition on the size of palladium nanoparticles. The direct formation of methyl formate from methanol was observed. Supported palladium catalysts produced methyl formate at low temperature (<150 °C) with a very high selectivity, and, in some cases, a selectivity of approximately 100 %. At higher temperature, methyl formate is not formed at all and the total oxidation to CO 2 occurs. A linear correlation between palladium particle size and methanol conversion was observed. Conversion and selectivity were correlated with the acidity of the catalysts. Very small particles were more active but less selective. A mechanism was proposed to explain the formation of methyl formate from methanol.