Construction of PtFe/FeOx-Al2O3 interface via regulating the metal – support interactions for selective hydrogenation of cinnamaldehyde

Strong metal – support interactions represent a promising strategy to regulate catalytic performance by forming a thin encapsulation layer or new metal-bond, which have attracted explosive research attention. However, a full coating layer can sometimes block the accessibility of reactants to the active sites and significantly reduce the activity. Herein, we report a new method to construct specific PtFe/Al 2 O 3 -Fe 2 O 3 interface via tuning a relatively moderate metal-support interaction over the Al 2 O 3 -Fe 2 O 3 (AF) composite material. Our findings reveal that a permeable FeO x coating layer and PtFe alloy were formed on the Pt/AF catalysts under high temperature reduction conditions. The encapsulation layer was much thinner than that of the Pt/Fe 2 O 3 under a similar high temperature treatment. The precisely engineered Pt-Fe/AF interface presented exceptional catalytic activity for hydrogenation of cinnamaldehyde with high C=O hydrogenation selectivity (∼88 %) and impressive sulfur-resistance. This straightforward and effective approach holds significant potential value for future industrial applications.