Supported Bimetallic AuPd Clusters Using Activated Au25 Clusters

Abstract

Bimetallic AuPd nanoparticles on alumina supports were prepared using Au25(SR)18 precursors activated by mild calcination or LiBH4 treatment, followed by selective deposition of Pd via ascorbic acid reduction. Comparison of their catalytic activity for the oxidation of crotyl alcohol showed that bimetallic structure had significantly improved catalysis compared to Pd/Al2O3. In particular, AuPd samples grown from LiBH4-activated Au25 clusters exhibit the highest catalytic activity as well as high selectivity towards crotonaldehyde formation, likely due to their smaller particle sizes as compared to AuPd samples grown from calcined Au25 clusters. X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) at the Au L3-edge, Pd L3-edge and Pd K-edges showed that the resulting bimetallic AuPd nanoparticles had Au-Pd core-shell structures with a 4d-electron poor Pd surface.