Preparation of MgAl Layered Double Hydroxides Using the Reaction Product of Activated Aluminum with Water and Synthesis of Palladium Catalysts Based on Them

Aluminum–magnesium layered double hydroxide (LDH) was obtained for the first time using the product of reaction between water and aluminum preliminarily activated by Ga–In eutectic alloy. This by-product of the reaction for hydrogen production was used as a reagent in the proposed hydrothermal synthesis of MgAl-LDH and allowed obtaining a material with a structure and properties similar to LDH synthesized by the conventional co-precipitation method. Supported palladium catalysts prepared using synthesized LDHs were highly selective in the aqueous-phase hydrogenation of furfural to furfuryl alcohol, probably due to modification of palladium with gallium introduced from the eutectic alloy at the stage of aluminum activation.