Construction of Pt/CeO ₂ @MXene Composite Catalysts for Enhanced Light‐Driven Thermocatalytic Oxidation of Toluene

ABSTRACT

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can adversely affect both environmental systems and human health. In response to the growing demand for efficient and energy‐saving purification technologies, light‐driven thermocatalytic oxidation has gradually emerged as a promising alternative, as it enables the direct utilization of solar energy to drive catalytic reactions. In this work, a composite catalyst combining Pt/CeO ₂ with MXene was deliberately designed, aiming to couple the strong thermocatalytic activity of Pt/CeO ₂ with the excellent photothermal conversion capability of MXene. When exposed to an irradiation intensity of 580 mW/cm ² , the optimized sample (0.16 Pt/CeO ₂ @MXene) delivered a toluene conversion of 95%. Such performance can be reasonably linked to its efficient light‐to‐heat conversion behavior, enhanced reducibility under mild conditions, and the abundant presence of adsorbed oxygen species. Furthermore, the photothermal catalytic activity of 0.16 Pt/CeO ₂ @MXene is identical to its thermocatalytic activity at the same reaction temperature, and no conventional photocatalytic activity is detected. This indicates that the catalytic reaction follows a light‑driven thermocatalytic mechanism, and the Vis‐IR region of the solar spectrum provides the primary energy for heat generation in the system. In summary, this work presents a practical approach to developing efficient photothermal catalysts for VOC abatement under mild conditions.