Engineering the electronic and geometric structure of VO x /BN@TiO 2 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 VO x /boron nitride nanosheets (BNNS)@TiO 2 heterostructures, therein, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide cationic surfactants serving as intercalation agent, BNNS and MXene as precursors, with various VO x 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 VO x NPs and V 5+ /V 4+ play decisive roles in the catalytic aerobic ODS of VO x /BNNS@TiO 2 catalysts and that VO x /BNNS@TiO 2 -2 exhibits the highest ODS activity with 93.7% DBT conversion within 60 min under the reaction temperature of 130 °C and oxygen flow rate of 200 mL·min −1 , which is due to its optimal VO x 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.