Enhanced Electron Transfer via RuO2/TiO2 Lattice Matching Drives High-Performance Deacon Catalysis

The Deacon process is important and highly desired for chlorine recycling in the chlor-alkali industry. Ru-based catalysts have always attracted much attention in the Deacon reaction; however, they are very easy to deactivate. One of the most advanced methods for adjusting the electrical and geometrical configurations of metal centers is lattice strain engineering, which plays a key role in controlling the interactions between adsorbate molecules and catalytic surfaces. In this study, a catalyst was developed via lattice matching between the active site and the support to enhance d-electron density near the Fermi level and strengthen metal–support interactions. The resulting catalyst achieves sustained chlorine production with a conversion rate of 90% and maintains stability for over 200 h during the Deacon process. This work presents a strategy to inhibit the aggregation of RuO2 and a fresh platform for designing highly stable catalysts.