One-pot phyto-mediated combustion technicality for synthesizing Pd adorned Cu2O@CuO heterojunction with great efficiency in CO oxidation and epoxidation applications

In this work, Pd nanoparticles immobilized Cu2O@CuO heterojunction catalysts were synthesized through a facile one-pot green solution combustion technicality using the pomegranate seed extract as reducing mediator/ capping fuel during the combustion process. The findings showed that pomegranate seeds extract within a feasible content of biogenic capping components demonstrate a microspheres Pd/Cu2O@CuO with Hydrangea flower-like fibrous structure, higher porosity, the adaptable ratio of Cu+/Cu2+, and Pd◦/Pd2+. Even further, the bio-inspired Pd/Cu2O@CuO heterojunction catalysts were exploited in CO oxidation and olefins epoxidation. The bio-inspired 0.5 wt% Pd/Cu2O@CuO provides 100 % conversion of CO at 99 ◦C and 99 % for cyclohexene epoxidation compared to 220 ◦C and 81 % for Cu2O@CuO. CuO and Cu2O NPs offer distinctive active centers for respectively, the dissociation of oxygen and CO oxidation. The nanoscale spacing between CuO and Cu2O zone and Pd NPs dispersion are beneficial to the quick movement of the adatom oxygen over Cu2O to cover the va- cancies of oxygen on CuO and thereby enhance the catalytic activity for low-temperature CO oxidation and epoxidation processes through a synergetic mechanism.