Role of PdAg interface in Pd-Ag/SiO2 bimetallic catalysts in low-temperature oxidation of carbon monoxide

An approach to the development of bimetallic nanoparticles with the separated but interacting phases of silver and palladium was proposed to effectively separate the active sites of silver, which possess high activity in activation of molecular oxygen, and the sites of palladium-containing phases, which are responsible for CO adsorption. The structure of PdAg particles was determined using X-ray diffraction analysis, electronic diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, and temperature-programmed reduction. It was found that the introduction of silver led to easier reduction of palladium from oxidized states in an atmosphere of CO. The activity of the bimetallic PdAg catalysts in the oxidation of CO increased, as compared with that of the Pd/SiO2 catalyst. The oxidized bimetallic catalyst, in which palladium occurred in an oxide state, was even more effective in the oxidation of CO; this can be related to the better cooperation of the active sites of silver and palladium oxide, which are responsible for the activation and conversion of CO and oxygen at the Ag-PdO interfacial boundary.