Interactions of CO and/or H2O with mesoporous oxide-supported metal catalysts: the role of MSI effects

Mesoporous oxide-supported metal catalysts have been widely used in heterogeneous catalysis owing to their unique physicochemical properties such as uniform channels, tunable pore size, adjustable particle size, large pore volumes, big specific surface areas and tunable metal-support interaction (MSI). Carbon monoxide and water are the two gaseous species most seen in heterogeneous catalytic reactions including the water-gas shift reaction, CO oxidation, and Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. Studying the interactions of CO and/or H2O with mesoporous oxide supported metal catalysts will benefit in the rational design of efficient catalysts, with designed structures and better performance. This feature article focuses on the metal-support interactions that play a vital role in catalytic activity, by reviewing recent studies in the literature and research from our group in the past five years. With the advance in various spectroscopic techniques such as diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS), Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray spectroscopy (XAS, XPS), one can better understand the interactions of CO and H2O on mesoporous oxide-supported metal catalysts, MSI and its role in tuning catalytic activity.