Effect of Voltage on Pd-rGO Composite Catalytic Activity for Hydrogenation
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11113/jomalisc.v4.101Keywords:
Pd-rGO, electric field catalysis, octene hydrogenationAbstract
The present study focuses on the synthesis and characterization of a palladium–reduced graphene oxide (Pd-rGO) composite, the computational evaluation of its catalytic capability, and the assessment of its catalytic performance under different applied electric field (EEF) strengths. Pd-rGO was synthesized using a modified Hummers chemical-reduction route, selected for its simplicity, reproducibility, and minimal reliance on specialised instrumentation. Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations were performed using Gaussian 16 with the WB97XD functional and 6-31G basis set to predict the catalytic behaviour of the composite toward octene hydrogenation. Experimentally, catalytic testing was carried out in an EEF-induced system using an H-TECH Education 1-Cell Rebuildable Proton Exchange Membrane Electrolyzer Kit at three applied voltages: 0, 0.8, and 2.0 eV. The freshly synthesized Pd-rGO was dispersed in deionised water, sonicated together with washed and dewaxed cotton textile, and dried to form catalyst-coated cotton sheets. These coated sheets served as catalyst platforms and were used to convert octene into octane under hydrogenation conditions. The resulting octane product was extracted into a hexane solvent mixture and analysed by gas chromatography to determine catalytic activity. Both computational and experimental findings revealed that application of an electric field significantly enhanced catalytic activity, with the best performance observed at 0.8 eV, moderate activity at 2.0 eV, and the weakest conversion at 0 eV. Overall, the study highlights the synergistic effects of Pd-rGO and external electric fields in promoting hydrogenation reactions
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