Greener Approach Towards Synthesis of Palladium-Decorated Graphene Derivatives for Hydrogen Adsorption

A simple, green, and relatively fast procedure was used to prepare palladium decorated graphene-based materials. A parent graphene-like material with a high specific surface area of up to 384 m² /g and a total pore volume of 0.42 cm³ /g was prepared via a fast, solvent-free ball milling of graphite powder only. Post-synthetic modification of this graphene-like material was performed via a simplified method using palladium chloride and a small amount of a non-harsh reducing agent - formic acid. Palladium decoration (2.1 wt%) allowed obtaining a few times higher hydrogen adsorption (0.42 wt% at 30 °C and 40 bar) compared to that on bare graphene-based materials. Palladium-decorated graphene materials are promising for hydrogen storage and their usage in this application represents an alternative for conventional fossil fuels. The proposed synthesis and post-modification strategies are in line with green synthesis strategies.