Friction bonding: mechanically induced metal-oxide interfaces for catalytic oxidation.

Source: PubMed, NCBI / U.S. National Library of Medicine

Metal-oxide interfaces serve as the core active regions in heterogeneous catalysis. The prevailing paradigm in current interfacial engineering regards atomic-scale precision control as a prerequisite for achieving high-performance catalysts, leading to the development of complex synthetic methodologies. Herein, we propose a mechanically driven "friction bonding" strategy. Platinum‑iron oxide (Pt-FeO) interfaces can be efficiently constructed via simple mechanical grinding, delivering performance comparable to interfaces prepared by conventional methods (T, temperature for 50% conversion = 68 °C). Systematic structural characterization confirms the successful construction of the Pt-FeOinterface, and trace water identified as the key dispersant for achieving optimal interfacial activity. The resulting interfacial hydroxyl groups endow the catalyst with exceptional low-temperature carbon monoxide (CO) oxidation activity, long-term stability, and sulfur poisoning resistance. This "friction-bonding" mechanism exhibits remarkable universality, readily extendable to diverse metal oxide systems including cerium oxide (CeO) and nickel oxide (NiO). This work demonstrates that the interfaces constructed via mechanochemistry are equally efficient, thereby offering a facile and practical new avenue for interfacial engineering.