Self-crosslinked N-doped carbon dot supported Pd as an efficient catalyst for dehydrogenation of formic acid at room temperature

An efficient and promising liquid chemical substance for hydrogen storage and production at room temperature is formic acid (FA). In this study, a series of N-doped carbon dot supported Pd nanoparticles (NPs) with mean particle sizes ranging from 1.94 to 2.65 nm were produced and utilized to catalyze efficient dehydrogenation from FA aqueous solution at ambient temperature. The Pd/CD catalysts demonstrated exceptional catalytic performance in FA dehydrogenation without producing CO, resulting in the production of hydrogen. The Pd/CDs-III catalyst delivered 100% FA dehydrogenation in 21 minutes and a TOF value of 256 h−1 at 298 K. Furthermore, electron-rich Pd played a crucial role in facilitating the rupture of the C–H bond. Additionally, the combination of N and self-crosslinked carbon dots assisted in controlling the growth of Pd NPs and improving their dispersion, inhibiting aggregation during the reaction test. This work offers valuable insights for the synthesis of N-doped carbon dot supported highly dispersed Pd-based catalysts for FA dehydrogenation in water.