Pd-MnOx nanoparticles dispersed on amine-grafted silica: Highly efficient nanocatalyst for hydrogen production from additive-free dehydrogenation of formic acid under mild conditions

Herein we report the development of a new highly active, selective and reusable nanocatalyst for additive-free dehydrogenation of formic acid (HCOOH), which has great potential as a safe and convenient hydrogen carrier for fuel cells, under mild conditions. The new catalyst system consisting of bimetallic Pd-MnOx nanoparticles supported on aminopropyl functionalized silica (Pd-MnOx/SiO2-NH2) was simply and reproducibly prepared by deposition-reduction technique in water at room temperature. The characterization of Pd-mnO(x)/SiO2-NH2 catalyst was done by the combination of multipronged techniques, which reveals that the existence of highly crystalline individually nucleated Pd(0) and MnOx nanoparticles (d(mean) = 4.6 +/- 1.2 nm) on the surface of aminopropyl functionalized silica. These supported Pd-MnOx nanoparticles can catalyze the additive-free dehydrogenation of formic acid with record activity (TOF = 1300 h(-1)) at high selectivity (>99%) and conversion (>99%) under mild conditions (at 50 degrees C and under air). Moreover, easy recovery plus high durability of these supported Pd-MnOx nanoparticles make them a reusable heterogeneous catalyst in the additive-free dehydrogenation of formic acid. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.