A simple method to regulate surface hydroxy groups on Al2O3 for improving catalytic oxidation performance for HCHO on Pt/Al2O3

Abstract

For supported noble metal catalysts, the properties of the support have a great influence on the state of the noble metals. Herein, we chose Al₂O₃ as a model to find a simple method for regulating the types and related contents of surface OH groups. The treated Al₂O₃ supports with different content of terminal OH groups were utilized to prepare a series of Pt-Na/Al₂O₃ samples, which were evaluated by formaldehyde (HCHO) catalytic oxidation. Characterization results illustrated that terminal OH groups were beneficial to Pt and Na anchoring. Terminal OH groups with the participation of Na species dispersed Pt atomically, which promoted the formation of bridging OH groups between Na and Al, showing excellent performance in the decomposition of formate species. The strategy of controlling surface OH groups provided a new insight to regulate supports which further changed the state of noble metals and is beneficial to the synthesis of efficient heterogeneous catalysts.