Inverse decoration of TiO<sub>x</sub> to NiSn alloy nanoparticles for efficient hydrodeoxygenation of m-cresol.

Yang, Feifei; Li, Chengyu; Wang, Maolin; Yu, Shixiang; Zhao, Jiankang; Xu, Yao; Zhou, Wei; Yi, Xiaodong et al. · Nat Commun · 2025

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

Hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of phenolics is crucial for lignin-to-fuel production via fast pyrolysis. The reaction under atmospheric H<sub>2</sub> pressure offers compatibility with pyrolysis conditions, high aromatic selectivity and low H<sub>2</sub> consumption, but suffers from coking-induced catalyst deactivation. In this work, we report a TiO<sub>x</sub>-decorated NiSn/SiO<sub>2</sub> catalyst (Ti-NiSn/SiO<sub>2</sub>), achieving 100% deoxygenation selectivity and enhanced stability in m-cresol HDO. The superior performance stems from: (i) the interfacial synergy between TiO<sub>x</sub> and NiSn alloy that facilitates C-O bond cleavage with a reduced energy barrier; (ii) the geometric isolation and electron-donating properties of Sn, which suppress undesirable side reactions and mitigate coke formation; and (iii) the inverse TiO<sub>x</sub> decoration strategy, which enables effective interface chemistry while minimizing acidic sites that could otherwise accelerate coking. This study presents a design strategy for constructing inverse oxide-alloy interface catalysts, offering multi-faceted advantages for HDO and other complex catalytic transformations.