Engineering atomically dispersed Pd on nanomineral supported CeO2 via photo-deposition for low-temperature catalytic oxidation of VOCs

The emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) poses severe environmental and health risks. Constructing stable atomically-dispersed catalysts for low-temperature VOC oxidation remains challenging. Herein, we report a directional photodeposition strategy to anchor atomically dispersed Pd onto an attapulgite (ATP) nanomineral supported CeO 2 composite, where the ATP facilitates the formation of abundant lattice oxygen vacancies in CeO 2 . Under light irradiation, surface oxygen vacancies migrate and interact with Pd species, enabling selective coordination and reductive deposition. The 0.1%Pd/CeO₂/ATP catalyst achieves 99% toluene conversion at 205 °C (T₉₉ = 205 °C) at a gas hourly space velocity (GHSV) of 20,000 mL·g −1 ·h −1 . In situ experiments and DFT calculation reveal that atomically dispersed Pd atoms form stable Pd–O–Ce bonds with oxygen vacancies sites on the CeO 2 surface, effectively modulating the electronic structure of the active sites . These atomically dispersed Pd catalysts significantly enhance oxygen activation capability and the oxidation efficiency of reaction intermediates through the unique Pd–O–Ce coordination structure. This work provides valuable insights into vacancy-mediated atomic-scale engineering as a strategy for designing efficient environmental catalysis.