ABSTRACT Improving catalytic activity for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) oxidation and enhancing water‐tolerance stability remain challenging in practical applications. Herein, a composite catalyst integrating Pt/CoO x ‐NiO x mesoporous nanorods (MNRs) with a phenyltriethoxysilane (PhTES)‐modified surface was fabricated via a facile route for toluene oxidation. The mesoporous nanorod architecture was instrumental in enhancing the specific surface area and the accessibility of active sites. The Co‐Ni heterojunction formed a built‐in electric field (BIEF) at the interface, facilitating charge transfer and boosting catalytic performance. The incorporation of Pt enhanced the catalyst's reducibility at low temperatures and thereby induced the formation of oxygen vacancies, which, in turn, facilitated the adsorption and activation of O 2 . Furthermore, the PhTES layer enhanced wet‐condition activity and toluene adsorption. The optimized 1 wt% Pt/1.5CoO x ‐1.5NiO x MNRs catalyst achieved 100% toluene conversion (500 ppm) at 165°C under 36,000 mL g −1 h −1 WHSV while maintaining activity under humid conditions after PhTES modification. The reaction mechanism, as identified by in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS), adheres to the Mars–van Krevelen (MVK) pathway. This finding was corroborated by density functional theory (DFT) calculations, which revealed that Pt doping facilitates the generation of oxygen vacancies and intensifies the BIEF, thus offering novel insights into the oxidation mechanism of VOCs.
He et al. (Mon,) studied this question.