Two Pd catalysts with different molar ratios of Pd and Si(n(Pd)/n(Si)) supported on mesoporous molecular sieve MCM-41 were synthesized in one step method assisted by microwave, and characterized by means of XRD, FT-IR and N2 adsorption-desorption. The two Pd-MCM-41 were applied to decomposition reaction of formic acid at low concentration under conventional heating and microwave heating conditions. The influences of Pd loading, reaction temperature and reaction time on the catalytic efficiency of Pd-MCM-41 for formic acid decomposition reaction were studied. The experiment results demonstrated that the Pd-MCM-41 catalyst was successfully synthesized by microwave-assisted method, which had certain catalytic effect on decomposition reaction of formic acid at low concentration. To raise the reaction temperature and to prolong the reaction time both were benefit to decomposition of formic acid. Compared with the formic acid decomposition reaction under conventional heating condition, Pd-MCM-41 had higher catalytic efficiency for the reaction under microwave heating condition.
