The treatment of industrial-sourced VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) stands as a pivotal research topic within the realm of environmental catalysis. The intricate composition of VOCs, especially the presence of H2O, frequently undermines the catalysts in the treatment systems. In this study, we have explored metastable catalysts that are regulated by different facets, which can activate H2O into active oxygen species required for the reaction. Surprisingly, the sample with the 101 facet exposed demonstrates superior performance compared to the sample with the high-energy 001 facet with H2O. In fact, the metastable structures constructed from diverse atomic arrangements are the key to breaking through this conventional understanding. Although the emergence of 18OCO18 indicates that all samples can achieve the H2O process, the Pt/TiO2-MS 101 sample, with its longer M-O bonds and more Pt-Ometa-Ti, exhibits lower H2O dissociation energy and stronger lattice oxygen mobility. In contrast, the high-energy facets and the increased Pt0 endow the Pt/TiO2-MS 001 sample with a stronger ability to activate O2. The distinct catalytic behaviors displayed by the metastable structures with different facets exposed offer fresh strategies for designing highly efficient catalysts.
Sun et al. (Wed,) studied this question.