Catalytic Performance and Characterization of Anatase TiO2 Supported Pd Catalysts for the Selective Hydrogenation of Acetylene

Anatase TiO2 nanospindles containing 89% exposed {101} facets (TiO2-101) and nanosheets with 77% exposed {001} facets (TiO2-001) were hydrothermally synthesized and used as supports for Pd catalysts. The effects of the TiO2 materials on the catalytic performance of Pd/TiO2-101 and Pd/TiO2-001 catalysts were investigated in the selective hydrogenation of acetylene to polymer-grade ethylene. The Pd/TiO2-101 catalyst exhibited enhanced performance in terms of acetylene conversion and ethylene yield. To understand these effects, the catalysts were characterized by H-2 temperature-programmed desorption (H-2-TPD), H-2 temperatureprogrammed reduction (H-2-TPR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), pulse CO chemisorption, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The TEM and CO chemisorption results confirmed that Pd nanoparticles (NPs) on the TiO2-101 support had a smaller average particle size (1.53 nm) and a higher dispersion (15.95%) than those on the TiO2-001 support (average particle size of 4.36 nm and dispersion of 9.06%). The smaller particle size and higher dispersion of Pd on the Pd/TiO2-101 catalyst provided more reaction active sites, which contributed to the improved catalytic activity of this supported catalyst.