Characterization and reactivity of Pd-Pt bimetallic supported catalysts obtained by laser vaporization of bulk alloy

Bimetallic Pd-Pt clusters produced by laser vaporization of bulk alloy have been deposited on high surface alumina. Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) show that they have a perfectly well-defined stoichiometry and a narrow range of size. Therefore, they constitute ideal systems to investigate alloying effects towards reactivity. Pd-Pt alloys are already known for their applications in the hydrogenation of unsaturated hydrocarbons, especially aromatics, because this system is highly resistant to sulfur and nitrogen poisoning. In this context, the catalytic properties of this system have been investigated in the hydrogenation of tetralin in the presence of hydrogen sulfide. Preliminary results show that this model catalyst is more sulfur-resistant than each of the pure supported metals prepared by chemical methods. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.