Strong Metal–Support Interaction Induced Dual Active Sites in Pt–Co Catalysts Supported on ZIF-8-Derived Porous Carbon for Formaldehyde Oxidation

A Pt–Co catalyst supported on ZIF-8-derived porous carbon (Pt–Co/Z-HP) with strong metal–support interaction (SMSI) was developed for efficient room-temperature formaldehyde (HCHO) oxidation. The catalyst exhibited highly dispersed Pt nanoparticles, abundant surface hydroxyl groups, and a defect-rich nitrogen-doped carbon matrix. These features promote Pt stabilization, oxygen activation, and intermediate conversion, achieving nearly 100% HCHO removal and CO 2 selectivity under ambient conditions. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations further revealed that plasma-induced −OH species regulate the surface coverage of active hydroxyls, maintaining a balance between O 2 activation and HCHO adsorption. Moreover, comparative models of isolated Co and Pt clusters (Co np –Pt np –NC) and Pt–Co alloy clusters (CoPt np –NC) demonstrate that the alloy structure achieves lower reaction barriers for both O 2 dissociation and HCHO oxidation via synergistic dual-site cooperation. These findings highlight that appropriate −OH coverage and Pt–Co electronic synergy are critical for enhancing catalytic performance. This work provides a low-energy approach for designing advanced volatile organic compounds (VOCs) oxidation catalysts via tailored SMSI.