Preparation and characterization of hydrophobic Pt-Fe catalysts with enhanced catalytic activities for interface hydrogen isotope separation.

Liquid phase catalytic exchange reactions are mainly used for separation of hydrogen isotopes from liquid water. Based on the carbon-supported Pt and Pt-Fe catalysts, different hydrophobic Pt and Pt-Fe catalysts were fabricated for use in such reactions. The characterization results indicated the Pt-Fe alloy was formed in the Pt(3)Fe/C catalyst prepared using a citric-acid-assisted NaBH(4) reduction method (CA-NaBH(4)). However, there were more Fe oxide species and the Fe components existed independently in the Pt(3)Fe/C catalyst prepared by the modified microwave-irradiated ethyl glycol reduction procedure (MI). Performance tests demonstrated that the activities of the hydrophobic Pt-Fe catalysts with appropriate Fe/Pt ratios, using the MI method, were enhanced because of the addition of Fe. In contrast, the hydrophobic Pt(3)Fe catalyst prepared using the CA-NaBH(4) method had lower catalytic activity than pure Pt. Possible reasons were explained by reaction mechanisms of double routes of LPCE catalysis.