“On–off” switch for H<sub>2</sub> and O<sub>2</sub> generation from HCOOH <i>resp</i>. H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub>
Wenkai Huang, Fuhua Xu, Dong‐Sheng Li, Didier Astruc, Xiang Liu
Abstract
Abstract In spite of the numerous advances in the development of H 2 and O 2 evolutions upon water splitting, the separation of H 2 from O 2 still remains a severe challenge. Herein, the novel dual‐functional nanocatalysts Pd/carbon nanosphere (CNS), obtained via immobilization of ultrafine Pd nanoparticles onto CNS, are developed and employed for both selective H 2 generation from HCOOH dehydrogenation and O 2 evolution from H 2 O 2 decomposition. In these reactions, the highest activities for Pd/CNS‐800 (i.e., calcinated at 800°C) are 2478 h −1 and 993 min −1 for H 2 and O 2 evolution, respectively. The highly efficient and selective “on–off” switch for selective H 2 generation from HCOOH is successfully realized by pH adjustment. This novel and highly efficient nanocatalyst Pd/CNS‐800 not only provides new approaches for the promising application of HCOOH and H 2 O 2 as economic and safe H 2 and O 2 carriers, respectively, for fuel cells, but also promotes the development of “on‐off” switch for on‐demand H 2 evolution.