Ultra-low palladium catalysts for phenylacetylene semihydrogenation: Synthesis by modified pulsed laser ablation–deposition

•Pd nanocatalysts are prepared by modified pulsed ablation–deposition method.•The Pd particles’ size and distribution are controlled by the plasma properties.•Pd catalysts show excellent activity in the semihydrogenation of phenylacetylene.

Pulsed laser ablation–deposition (PLA–PLD) in inhomogeneous electrical and electromagnetic fields was used to synthesise supported Pd catalysts. A modified PLA–PLD method opens up opportunities for obtaining Pd nanoparticles with the size from 2 to 5 nm by varying the deposition conditions. The catalysts were investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The content of metal in catalysts was ultra-low (0.011–0.016 wt%). The catalysts demonstrated unexpectedly high activity for phenylacetylene semihydrogenation (TOFv 18–55 s−1, TOFs 41–224 s−1) at the Pd/substrate molar ratio less than 1/100 000 and styrene selectivity up to 93%.

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