ROLE OF CATALYST CHARACTERISTICS IN ELECTROCATALYTIC HYDROGENATION - REDUCTION OF BENZALDEHYDE AND ACETOPHENONE ON CARBON FELT PD ELECTRODES

The hydrogenation of benzaldehyde and acetophenone was investigated at two carbon felt-supported Pd electrocatalysts, prepared by two different methods. The faradaic yield and the selectivity of the reaction were found to be greatly affected by the preparation conditions of the catalyst. A model, based on a reaction electrocatalytic mechanism, involving two parallel steps through which alcohol and hydrocarbon are generated from the reactant adsorbed on different active sites, was performed. The kinetics was described by means of the Langmuir-Hinshelwood rate equations, and the kinetic and equilibrium parameters were determined for both electrocatalysts.