Effect of electron irradiation on the catalytic properties of supported Pd catalysts

The effect of electron irradiation on the properties of the systems 1% Pd/C, 1% Pd/Al2O3, and 1% Pd/TiO2 is studied in gas-phase and liquid-phase toluene hydrogenation. An increase in the irradiation dose to 120–900 Mrad increases the catalytic activity by a factor of 2–8 relative to that of the original system. XPS data for the Pd/C catalyst suggest that, after irradiation with high-energy electrons, the metal particles are stabilized on the surface of the carbon support, their degree of dispersion is increased, and their sintering is suppressed. These inferences are consistent with the observed changes in catalytic properties.