Zeolite-Encaged Pd-Mn Nanocatalysts for CO2Hydrogenation and Formic Acid Dehydrogenation

A CO2-mediated hydrogen storage energy cycle is a promising way to implement a hydrogen economy, but the exploration of efficient catalysts to achieve this process remains challenging. Herein, sub-nanometer Pd-Mn clusters were encaged within silicalite-1 (S-1) zeolites by a ligand-protected method under direct hydrothermal conditions. The obtained zeolite-encaged metallic nanocatalysts exhibited extraordinary catalytic activity and durability in both CO(2)hydrogenation into formate and formic acid (FA) dehydrogenation back to CO(2)and hydrogen. Thanks to the formation of ultrasmall metal clusters and the synergic effect of bimetallic components, the PdMn0.6@S-1 catalyst afforded a formate generation rate of 2151 mol(formate) mol(Pd)(-1) h(-1)at 353 K, and an initial turnover frequency of 6860 molH2 mol(Pd)(-1) h(-1)for CO-free FA decomposition at 333 K without any additive. Both values represent the top levels among state-of-the-art heterogeneous catalysts under similar conditions. This work demonstrates that zeolite-encaged metallic catalysts hold great promise to realize CO2-mediated hydrogen energy cycles in the future that feature fast charge and release kinetics.