One-pot preparation of Pd nanoparticles supported on graphene from Pd electrodes by discharge plasma in graphene suspension and its catalytic activity for hydrogenation of nitrobenzene

We developed a one-pot preparation method of Pd nanoparticles (NPs) supported on graphene (Pd/G) by using Pd electrode plasma treatment of aqueous KCl solution containing graphene. It was found that Pd NPs were formed from the Pd electrodes during the plasma treatment and they were supported on graphene. The number of Pd NPs on graphene increased with increasing plasma treatment time, but the size of the Pd NPs was almost the same among different plasma treatment time. From the results of FT-IR and Raman spectra of the products, the formation of CO and defect on graphene were confirmed. The prepared Pd/G showed a superior catalytic activity for the hydrogenation of nitrobenzene to aniline to Pd NPs on α-Al2O3, which was prepared by the same plasma method in the presence α -Al2O3 instead of graphene.