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Pd/C catalysts are widely used for hydrogenation reactions in the chemical industry. One of the reasons for their high activity is the ability of Pd nanoparticles (PdNP) to dissociate H2 and promote H‐spillover. Nevertheless, for selective hydrogenation unpromoted Pd/C catalysts show disappointing results. The use of supported Pd single atom (PdSA) catalysts permits to achieve high selectivity. However, PdSA show low activity because they have difficulty in activating H2. A cooperative catalysis between PdNP and PdSA operates for the hydrogenation of alkenes thanks to the H‐spillover, which makes it possible to obtain active isolated PdSA−H species. Here, we present experimental and computational results obtained for phenylacetylene hydrogenation on Pd/CNT catalysts showing different PdSA/PdNP ratios. Tuning this ratio allows doubling the activity while reaching high selectivity to styrene at high conversion. DFT calculations suggest that the first coordination sphere of PdSA has a pronounced effect on their reactivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We show a novel chemical vapour deposition (CVD) approach, in which the large-scale fabrication of ferromagnetically-filled cm-scale buckypapers is achieved through the deposition of a mesoporous supported catalyst (SBA-16) on a silicon substrate. We demonstrate that SBA-16 has the crucial role of promoting the growth of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on a horizontal plane with random orientation rather than in a vertical direction, therefore allowing a facile fabrication of cm-scale CNTs buckypapers free from the onion-crust by-product observed on the buckypaper-surface in previous reports. The morphology and composition of the obtained CNTs-buckypapers are analyzed in detail by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high resolution TEM (HRTEM), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), while structural analysis is performed by Rietveld Refinement of XRD data. The room temperature magnetic properties of the produced buckypapers are also investigated and reveal the presence of a high coercivity of 650 Oe. Additionally, the electrochemical performances of these buckypapers are demonstrated and reveal a behavior that is compatible with that of a pseudo-capacitor (resistive-capacitor) with better performances than those presented in other previously studied layered-buckypapers of Fe-filled CNTs, obtained by pyrolysis of dichlorobenzene-ferrocene mixtures. These measurements indicate that these materials show promise for applications in energy storage systems as flexible electrodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The influence of PtRu bimetallic particle size and composition on cinnamaldehyde selective hydrogenation has been investigated for the first time using well-defined catalysts based on carbon nanotubes support. Very high selectivity towards cinnamyl alcohol together with high activity have been obtained provided a high temperature treatment of the catalyst is performed. HRTEM, WAXS and EXAFS analyses permit us to conclude that the remarkable influence of this high temperature treatment on both activity and selectivity arises from different phenomena. First, a particle size and a structural effect have been evidence that permits to increase the selectivity. WAXS and EXAFS point the formation of alloyed PtRu nanoparticles. Second, the heat treatment allows the removal of oxygenated groups from CNT surface. This may increase the cinnamaldehyde adsorption capacity and decrease the activation barrier for diffusion of substrate and product on the CNT surface, thus contributing to an increase in the activity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]