Reversed TiOx layer-induced strong metal–support interactions on Ni/Ti–SiO2 catalysts for propene epoxidation with H2 and O2

Yin, Defu, Lin, Dong, Zheng, Xiuhui, Yuan, Juncong, He, Qiuming, Chen, De, Yang, Chaohe and Feng, Xiang 2025. Reversed TiOx layer-induced strong metal–support interactions on Ni/Ti–SiO2 catalysts for propene epoxidation with H2 and O2. ACS Catalysis 15 , pp. 14741-14750. 10.1021/acscatal.5c02681

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Abstract

Direct propene epoxidation using H2 and O2 to produce propylene oxide (PO) is considered an environmentally friendly and revolutionary industrial process. With the necessity of finding alternatives to precious Au-based catalysts, there is a critical need for highly active nonprecious metal catalysts in epoxidation reactions. Herein, we successfully constructed different degrees of strong metal–support interaction (SMSI) by reversing TiO2 islands into TiOx layers over Ni nanoparticles in a H2 atmosphere. The resulting nonprecious 1.27%Ni/Ti–SiO2 catalyst with moderate SMSI exhibited a remarkable 90.6% selectivity toward PO with a formation rate of 9.23 gPOh–1gNi–1. Mechanistic investigations revealed that tetrahedral-Ti sites and Ni–TiOx overlayers synergistically catalyze propene epoxidation with H2 and O2. The Ni–TiOx interface provided abundant unsaturated Ti (TiOx) sites, enhancing the adsorption capacity of propene and consequently accelerating subsequent propene epoxidation with in situ synthesized H2O2. This study introduces an original approach for the utilization of nonprecious metal catalysts in gas-phase propene epoxidation, with promising implications for advancing industrial olefin epoxidation processes.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Schools > Chemistry Research Institutes & Centres > Cardiff Catalysis Institute (CCI)
Publisher:	American Chemical Society
ISSN:	2155-5435
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	18 August 2025
Date of Acceptance:	4 August 2025
Last Modified:	18 Aug 2025 12:01
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/180494

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