Singly dispersed Ir1Ti3 bimetallic site for partial oxidation of methane at high temperature

The interaction between metal and support is an essential topic in heterogeneous catalysis. The role of strong metal-support interaction (SMSI) between support and metal particles, oxide, or single atom site in catalysis has been investigated recently. In this work, we report a singly dispersed bimetallic site (SDBM), Ir 1 Ti 3 , formed on TiO 2 support during partial oxidation of methane. The Ir 1 Ti 3 site exhibits an unusual “switch on/off” catalytic activity for partial oxidation of methane to produce syngas, which is due to the strong interaction between TiO 2 support and in-situ formed Ir 1 Ti 3 SDBM site. The high activity and stability of the catalyst are also due to the unique structure according to the strong interaction effect. This work reveals the SMSI between oxide and SDBM and further impacts on catalysis.