Methanol Decomposition to Synthesis Gas Over Supported Pd Catalysts Prepared from Hydrotalcite Precursors

Abstract

Supported Pd catalysts were prepared by solid-phase crystallization (spc) starting from MgAl hydrotalcite anionic clay minerals as the precursors, and were tested for the methanol decomposition to synthesis gas. The precursors based on [Mg₆Al₂(OH)₁₆CO₃ ^2-] · 4H₂O were prepared by coprecipitation from raw materials containing Pd²⁺, Mg²⁺ and Al³⁺ ions as the components of hydrotalcite. The precursors were thermally decomposed and reduced to afford supported Pd catalysts on MgAl mixed oxide. Pd-supported catalysts as a reference were also prepared by the impregnation (imp) method. The spc-Pd catalysts thus prepared afforded highly dispersed Pd metal particles and showed higher activity as well as lower activation energy than the imp-Pd catalysts. When the precursor was prepared under mild conditions, finer particles of Pd metal were formed over the catalyst, resulting in a high activity. In the case of spc-Pd catalysts, carbon monoxide adsorbed on Pd easily desorbed, compared with imp-Pd catalysts. It is likely that the high activity is due to the highly dispersed and stable Pd metal particles and the easy desorption of carbon monoxide.