Structure-Directing role of support on toluene catalytic combustion over Pt/TiO2 catalysts

Catalytic combustion is the state-of-the-art technology for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) elimination and the supported platinum is generally regarded as one of the most desirable industrial catalysts. The crystal structure of support strongly influences the electronic properties of Pt species and thus catalytic combustion performance. Herein, we systematically investigated the influence of TiO 2 with different crystalline forms (anatase, rutile, and brookite) on toluene catalytic combustion in Pt/TiO 2 catalyst. The results found that the rutile TiO 2 -supported Pt catalyst exhibits the best activity, followed by anatase-supported and brookite-supported Pt. Detailed characterization further revealed the electron transfer driven by Pt-rutile TiO 2 electronic interaction, not only facilitated the formation of reactive Pt 0 nanoparticles but also stabilized the Pt 0 species during catalytic combustion. The Pt 0 species in rutile TiO 2 -supported Pt catalyst promoted the chemisorption of oxygen and accordingly resulted in outstanding catalytic activity for toluene combustion. This work offers new insights into the Pt-TiO 2 electronic interaction, providing a practical guide for developing highly efficient Pt-based catalyst for VOCs combustion.