Abstract
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•By surface functionalization we achieved controlled metallic dispersion in SBA-15.•Highly dispersed Au-Pd bimetallic sites lead to improved DHSP activity.•Pd2+ and Au+ as selective phases for DSHP.•Side hydrogenation/decomposition reactions appeared suppressed by amine groups.
A series of gold-palladium catalysts supported in a mesoporous surface functionalized silica SBA-15 was studied for H2O2 direct synthesis. Support functionalization was performed using different organic groups (namely SO3H, NH2 and SH) while metal was then supported by an ion exchanged method. Different Au-Pd/SBA-15 catalysts were tested in the Direct Synthesis of Hydrogen Peroxide (DSHP). Organic functional groups (SH, SO3H and NH2) with acid-base properties acted as anchoring sites controlling both the dispersion of the metallic active phase and the chemical state of gold and palladium species as Au+ and Pd2+, respectively. Compared to a Au-Pd/SBA-15 system prepared by incipient wetness impregnation over non-functionalized SBA-15, catalytic performance is improved upon functionalization, increasing hydrogen peroxide rate in sulfonic-SBA-15 systems and reducing the hydrogenation/decomposition activity by adding amine groups. The occurrence of amine groups clearly suppresses the support microporosity and probably condition the metal cluster size. The analysis of particle size by TEM showed that sulfonated samples lead to a Pd size compromise which improves the H2O2 production hindering the competitive side reactions, particularly suppressed by the presence of amine groups.