A group of Russian scientists has developed a catalyst based on plant waste that solves the problem of the "dead metal" phenomenon, which reduces the efficiency of traditional palladium catalysts based on carbon supports. Researchers from the University of MISIS, the N.D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Skoltech, and other leading scientific centers used liquid humins, a byproduct of the production of furan compounds from plant biomass.
We have proposed not just a solution to one of the problems of heterogeneous catalysis, but an approach that turns industrial waste into valuable renewable raw materials. This is another step towards sustainable development and a circular economy.
By mixing humins with nitrogen-containing melamine and conducting heat treatment, scientists obtained a carbon material with low porosity and high nitrogen content. This structure ensured a uniform distribution of palladium nanoparticles, preventing their blockage in the pores of the support, which ensured the availability of the active metal and increased efficiency. As a result, the new catalyst showed high activity and stability in reactions that are critical for the pharmaceutical and chemical industries.
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