Photochemical Synthesis of Naked Palladium Nanoparticles

Palladium nanoparticles are widely used in catalysis, sensors, coatings and hydrogen storage devices. This paper reports the one-pot photochemical reduction of Pd(II) alcohol solutions into Pd-0 nanoparticle suspensions. The synthesis involves the reduction of [PdCl4](2-) dissolved in EtOH/(2)-PrOH mixtures by the ketyl radicals (Me)(2)(HO)C center dot generated from 254 nm irradiation, in the absence of other chemical reducing agents. Clusters of similar to 10 nm Pd-0 particles thus produced could be separated from their suspensions by microfiltration. Preliminary tests are reported on the catalytic potential of such particles for the thermal dehydrogenation of alcohols.