Effect of Hydrothermal Treatment Temperature and Time on Carbon-Supported Pd Catalysts for Rosin Disproportionation

Hydrothermal modification of activated carbon has been recognized as an effective strategy to improve catalyst performance through pore structure limitation and metal dispersion enhancement. In this study, the effects of hydrothermal treatment temperature and time on carbon-supported palladium (Pd/C) catalysts were investigated for rosin disproportionation. Activated carbon derived from coconut shells was treated hydrothermally at temperatures of 180 - 200 °C for 3 - 5 h. The modified carbons were subsequently impregnated with palladium and evaluated in abietic acid disproportionation. The highest abietic acid conversion is 99.2% by catalyst prepared at 200 °C for 5 h. The nitrogen adsorption–desorption (BET) revealed that hydrothermal treatment significantly enhanced surface area and mesoporous structure, promoting uniform Pd dispersion. Improved catalytic activity was attributed to enhanced crystallinity, pore accessibility, and mass transfer. This work demonstrates that hydrothermal treatment is an efficient approach for developing high-performance Pd/C catalysts for biomass-derived resin acid valorization.