Polydimethylsiloxane Coating for a Palladium/MOF Composite: Highly Improved Catalytic Performance by Surface Hydrophobization

Surface wettability of active sites plays a crucial role in the activity and selectivity of catalysts. This report describes modification of surface hydrophobicity of Pd/UiO-66, a composite comprising a metal–organic framework (MOF) and stabilized palladium nanoparticles (NPs), using a simple polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) coating. The modified catalyst demonstrated significantly improved catalytic efficiency. The approach can be extended to various Pd nanoparticulate catalysts for enhanced activity in reactions involving hydrophobic reactants, as the hydrophobic surface facilitates the enrichment of hydrophobic substrates around the catalytic site. PDMS encapsulation of Pd NPs prevents aggregation of NPs and thus results in superior catalytic recyclability. Additionally, PDMS coating is applicable to a diverse range of catalysts, endowing them with additional selectivity in sieving reactants with different wettability.