Catalytic co oxidation and H$_{2}$O$_{2}$ direct synthesis over pd and pt-impregnated titania nanotubes

Titania nanotubes (TNTs) impregnated with Pd and Pt nanoparticles are evaluated as heterogeneous catalysts in different conditions in two reactions: catalytic CO oxidation (gas phase, up to 500 °C) and H$_{2}$O$_{2}$ direct synthesis (liquid phase, 30 °C). The TNTs are obtained via oxidation of titanium metal and the intermediate layer-type sodium titanate Na$_{2}$Ti$_{3}$O$_{7}$. Thereafter, the titanate layers are exfoliated and show self-rolling to TNTs, which, finally, are impregnated with Pd or Pt nanoparticles at room temperature by using Pd(ac)$_{2}$ and Pt(ac)$_{2}$. The resulting crystalline Pd/TNTs and Pt/TNTs are realized with different lengths (long TNTs: 2.0–2.5 µm, short TNTs: 0.23–0.27 µm) and a specific surface area up to 390 m$^{2}$/g. The deposited Pd and Pt particles are 2–5 nm in diameter. The TNT-derived catalysts show good thermal (up to 500 °C) and chemical stability (in liquid-phase and gas-phase reactions). The catalytic evaluation results in a low CO oxidation light-out temperature of 150 °C for Pt/TNTs (1 wt-%) and promising H$_{2}$O$_{2}$ generation with a productivity of 3240 mol$_{H2O2}$ kg$_{Pd}$$^{-1}$h$^{-1}$ (Pd/TNTs, 5 wt-%, 30 °C). ... mehrDespite their smaller surface area, long TNTs outperform short TNTs with regard to both CO oxidation and H$_{2}$O$_{2}$ formation.