One-step fabrication of Pd-embedded hierarchically porous carbon micro-spheres for formaldehyde removal under mild conditions

Abstract

Micron-sized carbon spheres synthesized via Pickering emulsions have attracted much attention in the last two years. In the present paper, we prepared palladium (Pd) and nitrogen co-embedded carbon microspheres for the formaldehyde (HCHO) catalytic oxidation process since HCHO is usually harmful. The Pd,N co-decorated carbon obtained at 600 °C shows higher activity and longer stability for HCHO oxidation at room temperature, compared to the Pd-supported commercial active carbon (Pd/AC) catalyst prepared by traditional wet impregnation method. The key to the good catalytic performance is that the Pickering emulsion droplets provide the confined space for the co-assembly of carbon, nitrogen and metal sources, as well as surfactant with improved interactions, leading to a Pd and N homogeneously modified hierarchically porous structure.