Engineering the electronic and geometric structure of VOx/BN@TiO2 heterostructure for efficient aerobic oxidative desulfurization

Particle size governs the electronic and geometric structure of metal nanoparticles (NPs), shaping their catalytic performances in heterogeneous catalysis. However, precisely controlling the size of active metal NPs and thereafter their catalytic activities remain an affordable challenge in ultra-deep oxidative desulfurization (ODS) field. Herein, a series of highly-efficient VOx/boron nitride nanosheets (BNNS)@TiO2 heterostructures, therein, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide cationic surfactants serving as intercalation agent, BNNS and MXene as precursors, with various VOx NP sizes were designed and controllably constructed by a facile intercalation confinement strategy. The properties and structures of the prepared catalysts were systematically characterized by different technical methods, and their catalytic activities were investigated for aerobic ODS of dibenzothiophene (DBT). The results show that the size of VOx NPs and V5+/V4+ play decisive roles in the catalytic aerobic ODS of VOx/BNNS@TiO2 catalysts and that VOx/BNNS@TiO2-2 exhibits the highest ODS activity with 93.7% DBT conversion within 60 min under the reaction temperature of 130 degrees C and oxygen flow rate of 200 mL center dot min(-1), which is due to its optimal VOx dispersion, excellent reducibility and abundant active species. Therefore, the finding here may contribute to the fundamental understanding of structure-activity in ultra-deep ODS and inspire the advancement of highly-efficient catalyst.