Fine-tuned local coordination environment of Pt single atoms on ceria controls catalytic reactivity.

Constructing single atom catalysts with fine-tuned coordination environments can be a promising strategy to achieve satisfactory catalytic performance. Herein, via a simple calcination temperature-control strategy, CeO supported Pt single atom catalysts with precisely controlled coordination environments are successfully fabricated. The joint experimental and theoretical analysis reveals that the Pt single atoms on Pt/CeO prepared at 550 °C (Pt/CeO-550) are mainly located at the edge sites of CeO with a Pt-O coordination number of ca. 5, while those prepared at 800 °C (Pt/CeO-800) are predominantly located at distorted Ce substitution sites on CeO terrace with a Pt-O coordination number of ca. 4. Pt/CeO-550 and Pt/CeO-800 with different Pt-CeO coordination environments exhibit a reversal of activity trend in CO oxidation and NH oxidation due to their different privileges in reactants activation and HO desorption, suggesting that the catalytic performance of Pt single atom catalysts in different target reactions can be maximized by optimizing their local coordination structures.