Hydrogenation of perfluoroolefins catalyzed by palladium nanoparticles anchored on the layered carbon nitride†

Perfluoroolefins are extensively utilized in chip cooling applications under the “dual carbon” goals and due to the inherent requirements for green and sustainable development. Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄) serves as a crucial support material for loading precious metals. In this study, nitrogen atoms are doped into carbon as structural defects to enhance the interaction, resulting in highly dispersed palladium nanoparticles obtained through wet impregnation. The sub-nanometer scale dispersion of palladium is constructed in the “six-fold cavity” of g-C₃N₄, due to the presence of cyano groups in the structure. The strong Pd–N interaction ensures that Pd nanoparticles are highly dispersed on g-C₃N₄. The interfacial synergistic effect between the Pd NPs and g-C₃N₄ facilitates effective adsorption and activation of H₂ on Pd/g-C₃N₄, thereby promoting hydrogenation reactions and improving catalytic performance. Palladium atoms are fully utilized at low loadings, resulting in enhanced catalytic activity and stability. Experimental results demonstrate that Pd-DCN exhibits optimal catalytic performance for the hydrogenation of perfluoroolefins at a palladium loading of 0.1 wt%.