Formation of metal nanoparticles in a polymer nanofiber: A hybrid material for gas-phase catalytic reactions

This paper describes the synthesis and characterization of a metal-polymer hybrid material formed by the combination of palladium nanoparticles and poly-o-phenylenediamine (poly-PDA). The preparation technique is based on an insitu, one-pot chemical synthesis route using palladium acetate and o-phenylenediamine as precursors. The composite material was characterized by optical, thermal and micro-analytical techniques. The characterization techniques show the successful synthesis of the hybrid material. This composite material was used as a catalyst for a model gas-phase hydrogenation reaction. The activation and deactivation of the catalyst is discussed in relation to the effect of temperature and the phase transition of the polymer.