Synthetic Strategies of Supported Pd-Based Bimetallic Catalysts for Selective Semi-Hydrogenation of Acetylene: A Review and Perspectives

Selective semi-hydrogenation of acetylene is an extremely important reaction from both industrial and theoretical perspectives. Palladium, due to its unique chemical and physical properties, is the most active and currently irreplaceable metal for this reaction in industry, but the poor catalytic selectivity towards ethylene is also its inherent shortcoming. Introducing a secondary metal to tune a geometric and electronic structures of Pd nanoparticles and to create a synergistic effect is the most widely used strategy to effectively improve the overall catalytic performance of Pd-based catalysts. Thus, various supported Pd-based bimetallic catalysts for selective semi-hydrogenation of acetylene have been exploited in the past decade. Timely comparison, analysis, and summarizing of various preparation methods may offer a beneficial reference for the subsequent development of such catalysts. In this context, herein, the advances in synthesis strategies of catalysts, including nano-catalysts, single atom alloys (SAAs), as well as bimetallic dual atom catalysts are summarized systematically. Their advantages and disadvantages are comparatively discussed. Finally, future perspectives for the synthetic strategies of supported Pd-based bimetallic catalysts for selective semi-hydrogenation of acetylene are proposed.

Automated summary

Selective semi-hydrogenation of acetylene is important both in industry and theory. Palladium is the most active metal and is widely used for this reaction, but it has poor selectivity towards ethylene. A commonly used strategy to improve the catalytic performance is introducing a secondary metal to tune the geometric and electronic structures of Pd nanoparticles. Various supported Pd-based bimetallic catalysts have been studied in the past decade, and their preparation methods, advantages, and disadvantages are summarized in this review.