La2O3 modified silica-pillared clays supported PtOx nanocrystalline catalysts for catalytic combustion of benzene

La2O3 modified silica-pillared clays (SPC) was synthesized by a soft template method. Both the basal spacing and the specific surface area increased after pillaring and modification, and the thermal stability was also improved, all of which could reduce the mass transfer resistance and improve the adsorption capacity of benzene. PtOx nanocrystalline catalysts were prepared by a high-temperature liquid reduction method. Among them, the catalyst with 0.2 wt% Pt loading and a La/KSF molar ratio of 0.5:1 (0.2% Pt/LaSPC (0.5:1)) showed the highest catalytic combustion activity and higher CO2 selectivity, and the reaction temperature for benzene combustion was about 200 °C. Besides, the Pt0, Pt2+ and Pt4+ with particle sizes of about 3–5 nm coexisted on the surface of LaSPC (0.5:1). And this catalyst also exhibited good stability during the 100 h continuous reactions at 195 °C. The high dispersion of Pt particles, active oxygen species and strong redox property are responsible for the high activity of 0.2% Pt/LaSPC (0.5:1) for benzene combustion.