Metal Oxides Treated by Oxy-Hydrogen Flame: Effects of Reducibility on Oxygen Vacancies, Pt-Support Interactions, and Chemoselective Hydrogenation
摘要
Oxygen vacancy defects can serve as an effective strategy for developing high-performance metal oxide-based catalysts. The formation of oxygen vacancies depends on the reducibility of the metal oxide materials. In this study, we selected three metal oxides (MOxs): iron oxide (Fe2O3), chromium oxide (Cr2O3), and zirconium oxide (ZrO2), with varying degrees of reducibility to investigate oxygen vacancy formation and its consequent impact on platinum (Pt) dispersion and catalytic performance. An oxy-hydrogen flame treatment, characterized by high treatment temperatures and rapid heating and cooling rates, was employed to create oxygen vacancy defects in these metal oxides. The flame treatment promoted defect formation in the order of Fe2O3 > Cr2O3 > ZrO2. These defects significantly influenced Pt dispersion and metal-support interactions. The catalytic performance of Pt/MOx catalysts, both untreated and treated with the oxy-hydrogen flame, was evaluated in the chemoselective hydrogenation of 3-nitrostyrene. The selectivity toward 3-vinylaniline increased with the reducibility of the metal oxide support in the defective Pt/MOx catalysts. Higher reducibility facilitated oxygen vacancy formation, enhanced Pt dispersion through metal-support interactions, and ultimately improved chemoselective hydrogenation performance.