Refining Metal-Support Interactions via Surface Modification of Irreducible Oxide Support for Enhanced Complete Propane Oxidation

Regulating the metal-support interaction (MSI) of supported metal catalysts is critical to enhancing their catalytic performance. However, achieving direct control over the MSI by tuning the properties of irreducible oxide-supported supports remains a challenging task. In this study, we propose a surface modification strategy to refine the MSI on an irreducible MgAl₂O₄-supported Pt catalyst. By employing a facile H₂O₂ treatment to modify the support surface, the number of Brønsted acid sites on MgAl₂O₄ was successfully reduced. The MSI between Pt and MgAl₂O₄ is appropriately weakened, resulting in a higher proportion of metallic Pt species, while maintaining a high level of dispersion during the reaction. These metallic Pt species enhance the activation ability of C-H bonds in propane and facilitate the rapid consumption of intermediate species.