The pH-dependant stabilization and interphase coupling of Pd species during alcohol oxidation (opens in new tab)

Heterogeneous catalysts consistently suffer from the leaching of active components into the fluid phase, causing loss in activity and lifetime. Here we demonstrate, exemplified with the thermocatalytic oxidation of 1,2-propanediol, a metal stabilization mechanism arising from electrochemical coupling of half reactions between physically separated carbon-supported Au and Pd catalysts. When electrochemically coupled, polarization of each metal to an operating mixed potential occurs as a functio...