Electrodeposition of palladium from palladium(II) acetylacetonate in an amide-type ionic liquid

• Electrodeposition of metallic Pd from Pd(acac)2 was achieved in an amide-type ionic liquid.
• Pd nanoparticles were obtained in ionic liquid by the potentiostatic cathodic reduction.
• The mean particle size of Pd nanoparticles was about 2.8 nm independently with the applied potential.

The electrodeposition of palladium from palladium(II) acetylacetonate (Pd(acac)2) was investigated in an ionic liquid, 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)amide at room temperature. Potentiostatic cathodic reduction was conducted using a glassy carbon electrode at − 2.0 V vs. Ag/Ag(I). Metallic palladium was deposited on the electrode and palladium nanoparticles were observed with dispersed state in the ionic liquid. The mean particle size of the obtained palladium nanoparticles was 2.8 ± 0.6 nm.