Effect of Ag addition on the properties of Pd–Ag/TiO2 catalysts containing different TiO2 crystalline phases

Anatase and rutile TiO2 were used for preparation of the TiO2 supported Pd and Pd–Ag catalysts for selective hydrogenation of acetylene. It was found that Pd/TiO2-anatase exhibited higher acetylene conversion and ethylene selectivity than rutile TiO2 supported ones. However, addition of Ag to Pd/TiO2-anatase catalyst resulted in lower ethylene selectivity while that of Pd/TiO2-rutile increased. It is suggested that Ag addition suppressed the beneficial effect of the Ti3+ sites presented on the anatase TiO2 during selective acetylene hydrogenation whereas without Ti3+, Ag promoted ethylene selectivity by blocking sites for over-hydrogenation of ethylene to ethane.