Mesoporous carbon-supported Pd nanoparticles with high specific surface area for cyclohexene hydrogenation: Outstanding catalytic activity of NaOH-treated catalysts

Extremely high specific surface area mesoporous carbon-supported Pd nanoparticle catalysts were prepared with both impregnation and polyol-based sol methods. The silica template used for the synthesis of mesoporous carbon was removed by both NaOH and HF etching. Pd/mesoporous carbon catalysts synthesized with the impregnation method has as high specific surface area as 2250m2/g. In case of NaOH-etched impregnated samples, the turnover frequency of cyclohexene hydrogenation to cyclohexane at 313K was obtained ~14 molecules∙site−1∙s−1. The specific surface area of HF-etched samples was higher compared to NaOH-etched samples. However, catalytic activity was ~3–6 times higher on NaOH-etched samples compared to HF-etched samples, which can be attributed to the presence of sodium and surface hydroxylgroups of the catalysts etched with NaOH solution. [Display omitted] •Mesoporous carbon-supported Pd catalysts were prepared with specific surface area higher than 2000m2/g.•NaOH etching resulted in a striking catalytic activity (TOF=14s−1) in hydrogenation of cyclohexene.•Higher carbonization temperatures resulted in 2 times higher turnover frequencies.•Pd modified mesoporous carbon catalysts made by the wet impregnation method outperformed samples made by “Pd-sol method”.