Evidence for atomically dispersed Pd in catalysts supported on carbon nanofibers

The state of palladium deposited on carbon nanofibers (CNFs) with stacked structure in 0.04–0.5 wt% concentration was studied by XRD, electron microscopy and EXAFS. Palladium was found to exist as single atoms attached to CNF in the samples with Pd concentration 0.2 wt% or less. Most probable location of Pd atoms according to EXAFS data was analysed using quantum-chemical calculation.