Highly efficient copper–palladium nanoalloy catalysts on modified carbon supports

Catalytic systems were made using Cu, Pd, and Pd-Cu nanoparticles (NPs) supported on modified activated carbon (ACm) of BAU-A grade, which had been modified with hydrochloric acid, for dehydrochlorination of chlorobenzene and 1,2-dichlorobenzene. Based on previous studies, the optimal content of metal NPs in the heterogeneous catalysts for the transformation of mono- and dichlorobenzene organochlorine pollutants utilizing the method of catalytic dehydrochlorination were determined to be: 5% for Pd; 10% for Cu; and, 3% Pd and 7% Cu for the bimetallic variant. The metal NPs were determined to bond to the carboxyl and carbonyl functional groups of the ACm. The characteristics of the catalysts were studied using FTIR spectroscopy, differential thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy and ad-sorption porosimetry. Finally, following dehydrochlorination, a chromatograph mass spectrometer was used to identify the products. These results on the pore structures of the catalysts demonstrate good development, allowing for an increased number of sites to adsorb persistent organic pollutants (POPs). Whereas all the catalysts showed effectiveness in dehydrochlorination of chlorobenzene and 1,2-dichlorobenzene, separately, into benzene, the bimetallic catalyst, 3Pd-7Cu/ACm, demonstrates the best results, with conversion rates of 93.94% and 89.79%, respectively.