The fabrication of Mn single atoms/clusters on Al2O3 for enhanced catalytic NO oxidation.

[Display omitted] • The effect of Mn doping size over Al 2 O 3 on NO oxidation activity were elucidated. • Mn SACs/Cs -Al 2 O 3 exhibits a superior NO-NO 2 capacity compared with Mn NPs -Al 2 O 3. • The coordination environment of Mn species significantly affects the mobility of O sur. • Reducing Mn size from NPs to SACs/Cs promotes labile nitrate species formation. The exploitation of transitional metal catalysts for high-efficient conversion of NO to NO 2 still persists as an imperative issue due to the high cost of currently used Pt–based catalysts. Herein, we report a TEA-modification strategy to anchor Mn single atoms/clusters on Al 2 O 3 (Mn/Al 2 O 3 -T) for NO oxidation. Activity tests show that Mn/Al 2 O 3 -T (T 83 = 275 °C) displays a superior NO-to-NO 2 capacity compared with the unmodified Mn nanoparticle on Al 2 O 3 (Mn/Al 2 O 3 -B, T 66 = 300 °C) and Pt/Al 2 O 3 (T 43 = 350 °C) counterparts. Comprehensive characterization and DFT calculations discover that the effective adjustment of TEA can promote the generation of coordination unsaturated Mn sites with elongated Mn-O bonds, which can improve the mobility of surface lattice oxygen and facilitate the activation of molecular oxygen. Additionally, reducing Mn size from nanoparticles to single atoms/clusters favors the formation of labile nitrate species and facile desorption of NO 2 , thereby regenerating active sites and accelerating overall NO oxidation reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]