Strong metal-support interactions induced by an ultrafast laser

Abstract

Supported metal catalysts play a crucial role in the modern industry. Constructing strong metal-support interactions (SMSI) is an effective means of regulating the interfacial properties of noble metal-based supported catalysts. Here, we propose a new strategy of ultrafast laser-induced SMSI that can be constructed on a CeO₂-supported Pt system by confining electric field in localized interface. The nanoconfined field essentially boosts the formation of surface defects and metastable CeO_x migration. The SMSI is evidenced by covering Pt nanoparticles with the CeO_x thin overlayer and suppression of CO adsorption. The overlayer is permeable to the reactant molecules. Owing to the SMSI, the resulting Pt/CeO₂ catalyst exhibits enhanced activity and stability for CO oxidation. This strategy of constructing SMSI can be extended not only to other noble metal systems (such as Au/TiO₂, Pd/TiO₂, and Pt/TiO₂) but also on non-reducible oxide supports (such as Pt/Al₂O₃, Au/MgO, and Pt/SiO₂), providing a universal way to engineer and develop high-performance supported noble metal catalysts.