Modulating the strong metal-support interaction of single-atom catalysts via vicinal structure decoration
Jingyi Yang, Yike Huang, Haifeng Qi, Chaobin Zeng, Qike Jiang, Yi‐Tao Cui, Yang Su, Xiaorui Du, Xiaoli Pan, Xiaoyan Liu, Weizhen Li, Botao Qiao, Aiqin Wang, Tao Zhang
Abstract
Abstract Metal-support interaction predominately determines the electronic structure of metal atoms in single-atom catalysts (SACs), largely affecting their catalytic performance. However, directly tuning the metal-support interaction in oxide supported SACs remains challenging. Here, we report a new strategy to subtly regulate the strong covalent metal-support interaction (CMSI) of Pt/CoFe 2 O 4 SACs by a simple water soaking treatment. Detailed studies reveal that the CMSI is weakened by the bonding of H + , generated from water dissociation, onto the interface of Pt-O-Fe, resulting in reduced charge transfer from metal to support and leading to an increase of C-H bond activation in CH 4 combustion by more than 50 folds. This strategy is general and can be extended to other CMSI-existed metal-supported catalysts, providing a powerful tool to modulating the catalytic performance of SACs.