Synthesis, Characterization, and Photoactivity of Nanosized Palladium Clusters Deposited on Titania-Modified Mesoporous MCM-41

Nanoparticles of Pd supported in the mesopores of titania-modified MCM-41 have been synthesized by the photodeposition method for the first time and characterized by XPS spectroscopy, N2 sorption isotherms, XRD, TEM, SEM, diffusion reflectance UV–vis absorption spectra, and Raman spectra. The metallic Pd clusters were dispersed uniformly in the mesopores of titania-modified MCM-41. The photocatalytic activity of Pd-deposited titania-modified MCM-41 has been investigated. For the photoreduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III), Pd-deposited titania-modified MCM-41 exhibited much higher photocatalytic activity than the supports did.