Optimizing the activity of Pd based catalysts towards room-temperature formic acid decomposition by Au alloying

Herein, a series of PdAu/C alloyed catalysts were synthesized via a modified coprecipitation–reduction method by using carbon powder as a support, and their activities towards formic acid decomposition (FAD) at room temperature (30 °C) were evaluated. It was identified that the content of surface active species, PdO, in the alloyed catalysts is well related to the feed ratio of Au used in the syntheses, attributed to both the lattice strain and ligand effects induced by Au alloying. As a result, the alloyed catalyst with the optimal Pd and Au atomic ratio, Pd0.69Au0.31/C, exhibited a turnover frequency (TOF) as high as 6634 h−1 towards room temperature FAD, 4.3 times that of the pure Pd/C catalyst (1539 h−1).