Electron-phonon coupling in APd3O4: A = Ca, Sr, and Sr0.85Li0.15

Comparative Study of Pd-Mayenite Catalysts Prepared via Aerogel Approaches

Pd-containing catalysts based on highly dispersed aerogel-derived mayenite were prepared via two approaches. The Pd@C12A7 sample was obtained through the addition of Pd nitrate solution to a fresh Ca(OH)₂-Al(OH)₃ gel. Pd/C12A7 was synthesized through conventional wet impregnation of the aerogel-derived mayenite. The evolution of the textural characteristics of the support (C12A7) depending on the calcination temperature was investigated. Pd-containing samples were explored using transmission electron microscopy and spin probe EPR spectroscopy. Using the latter method, the presence of active oxygen species capable of producing nitroxyl radicals from diphenylamine was observed. The activity of these species and the reproducibility of their redox behavior were studied in three cycles of temperature-programmed reduction in both hydrogen and CO atmospheres. A prompt thermal aging technique was used to access and compare the activity of the samples towards CO oxidation. The state of Pd species before and after the aging procedure was studied via UV-Vis spectroscopy. It was found that the dispersion of PdO was higher in the case of the Pd/C12A7 catalysts compared to the Pd@C12A7 sample. This is why the Pd/C12A7 catalyst demonstrated higher activity in CO oxidation and better reducibility in TPR cycles.

Electronic structure of ternary palladates and effect of hole doping: a valence band photoemission spectroscopic study

We investigate the electronic structure of ternary palladatesAPd₃O₄(A= Sr, Ca) using valence band photoemission spectroscopy and band structure calculations. Energy positions of various features and overall width of the experimental valence band spectra are well captured by band structure calculations using hybrid functional. Band structure calculations within local density approximations lead to metallic ground state while the calculations using hybrid functional provide band gap of 0.25 eV and 0.22 eV for CaPd₃O₄and SrPd₃O₄respectively, suggesting moderate to strong electron correlation strength in these narrow band gap semiconducting palladates. High resolution spectra reveal negligibly small intensity at Fermi level,E_F, for parent compounds, while hole doped SrPd₃O₄(by 15% Li substitution at Sr site) exhibits a Fermi cut-off suggesting metallic character in contrast to semiconducting transport. These observations reveal the importance of localization of electrons in case where the Fermi edge falls in the mobility edge.