Integrated Catalysis-Surface Science-Theory Approach to Understand Selectivity in the Hydrogenation of 1-Hexyne to 1-Hexene on PdAu Single-Atom Alloy Catalysts

The selective hydrogenation of alkynes to alkenes is an important industrial process. However, achieving high selectivity and reducing the usage of precious platinum group metals are still challenging for the conventional hydrogenation catalysts. With atomically dispersed active metal atoms on the surface of a host metal, single-atom alloys (SAAs) have shown excellent hydrogenation selectivity and activity, but their hydrogenation mechanism is not fully understood. This work reports on the selective hydrogenation of 1-hexyne to 1-hexene on PdAu SAA catalysts. Au is a highly selective hydrogenation catalyst, but it is not active at low temperatures. Through measurements of reaction kinetics and in operando spectroscopy studies, we follow the much more facile activation of PdAu SAA catalysts and demonstrate the different hydrogenation chemistry of single Pd atoms and Pd nanoparticles (NPs). We further investigate the role of Pd atoms and the mechanism behind the improved hydrogenation selectivity through su...