Activation of dihydrogen on supported and unsupported silver catalysts

The activation of dihydrogen on silica, silver, and silica-supported silver (9 wt% Ag) was investigated. Both silica and silver are individually able to dissociate dihydrogen. Silanol groups on silica undergo H → D exchange at 393 K in D2 as detected by IR spectroscopy. HD is observed in temporal analysis of products (TAP) experiments when H2 and D2 are sequentially pulsed on silver at 673 K; even when the time delay between the isotopes is 4 s, HD is formed, indicating that long-lived surface hydrogen species are present. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) shows that the activation of dihydrogen is an activated process: heat signals evoked through H2 pulses on Ag/SiO2 grow with increasing temperature (373–523 K). Nonetheless, the presence of silver on the silica surface accelerates the Si–OH → Si–OD exchange. Investigation of the exchange kinetics on Ag/SiO2 shows that diffusion processes of the activated hydrogen species are rate determining at higher temperatures (⩾373 K), when the activation of D2 on silver becomes facile. Indications of diffusion limitation are observed already at 313 K on Pt/SiO2. TAP and DSC measurements show that H2 is more readily activated on silver that has been treated in O2 at 673 K followed by reduction in H2 at 673 K. Morphological changes induced to the silver surfaces or (sub)surface oxygen species are presumed responsible for this effect.