Engineering Platinum Catalysts via a Site-Isolation Strategy with Enhanced Chlorine Resistance for the Elimination of Multicomponent VOCs

Pt-based catalysts can be poisoned by the chlorine formed during the oxidation of multicomponent volatile organic compounds (VOCs) containing chlorinated VOCs. Improving the low-temperature chlorine resistance of catalysts is important for industrial applications, although it is yet challenging. We hereby demonstrate the essential catalytic roles of a bifunctional catalyst with an atomic-scale metal/oxide interface constructed by an intermetallic compound nanocrystal. Introducing trichloroethylene (TCE) exhibits a less negative effect on the catalytic activity of the bimetallic catalyst for o-xylene oxidation, and the partial deactivation caused by TCE addition is reversible, suggesting that the bimetallic, HCl-etched Pt3Sn(E)/CeO2 catalyst possesses much stronger chlorine resistance than the conventional Pt/CeO2 catalyst. On the site-isolated Pt/Sn catalyst, the presence of aromatic hydrocarbon significantly inhibits the adsorption strength of TCE, resulting in excellent catalytic stability in the oxidation of the VOC mixture. Furthermore, the large amount of surface adsorbed oxygen species generated on the electronegative Pt is highly effective for low-temperature C/Cl bond dissociation. The adjacent promoter (Sn/O) possesses the functionality of acid sites to provide sufficient protons for HCl formation over the bifunctional catalyst, which is considered critical to maintaining the reactivity of Pt by removing Cl and decreasing the polychlorinated byproducts.

Automated summary

This study demonstrates the catalytic roles of a bifunctional catalyst with an atomic-scale metal/oxide interface. The catalyst exhibits strong resistance to chlorine at low temperatures and excellent catalytic stability in the oxidation of multicomponent volatile organic compounds (VOCs).