Polyacrylonitrile beads supported Pd-based nanoparticles as superior catalysts for dehydrogenation of formic acid and reduction of organic dyes

Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) beads supported Pd nanoparticles (NPs) exhibit excellent catalytic performance for aqueous-phase formic acid (FA) dehydrogenation. Doping suitable content of Co or Fe species could further enhance the catalytic activity of the PAN supported Pd-based NPs catalysts. Abundant -CN groups existed on the surface of PAN beads are beneficial to immobilizing Pd NPs, and may also act as proton scavengers to provide a suitable basic environment for activating FA molecular. Notably, the composition-optimized catalysts can also efficiently reduce the low concentration of organic dyes (methylene blue and rhodamine B) using FA as hydrogen source under ambient conditions.