Effect of reduction method on the performance of Pd catalysts supported on activated carbon for the selective oxidation of glucose

The effect of the reduction method on the catalytic properties of palladium catalysts supported on activated carbon for the oxidation of D-glucose was examined. The reduction methods investigated include argon glow discharge plasma reduction at room temperature, reduction by flowing hydrogen at elevated temperature, and reduction by formaldehyde at room temperature. The plasma-reduced catalyst shows the smallest metal particles with a narrow size distribution that leads to a much higher activity. The catalyst characteristics show that the plasma reduction increases the amount of oxygen-containing functional groups, which significantly enhances the hydrophilic property of the activated carbon and improves the dispersion of the metal.