Single-atom Zr promoter boosts oxygen activation on ceria-supported Pt catalysts

Activation of surface lattice oxygen and chemisorbed oxygen on catalyst surfaces constitutes a pivotal step in heterogeneous oxidative catalysis. Herein, we report a strategy for enhancing oxygen activation by rational design of catalysts with single-atom promoters. Single-site Zr species in CeO2 (Zr1-CeO2) are synthesized using the atom-trapping method. The Zr1-CeO2-supported Pt catalyst exhibits enhanced catalytic performance over the CeO2-supported Pt catalyst in the oxidation of CO, C3H8, and C3H6, achieving significantly lower T50 values (temperature required to reach 50% conversion). This enhanced catalytic activity is attributed to the formation of an asymmetric Zr1-O-Pt1 structure, which favors the activation of the adjacent surface lattice oxygen and chemisorbed molecular oxygen. This work exemplifies that incorporating single-site atoms into oxide support facilitates oxygen activation, providing new insights into the role of atomically dispersed promoters in heterogeneous catalysis. Efficient oxygen activation limits oxidative catalysis. Here, incorporating single-atom Zr into CeO₂-supported Pt catalysts creates Zr₁–O–Pt₁ structures, significantly enhancing catalytic performance via boosted surface and chemisorbed oxygen activation.