The confined surface C 2 N/Pt(111) as a highly efficient catalyst for CO oxidation.

The problem of poisoning on the surface of catalysts used in CO oxidation reactions, such as Pt, needs to be solved. In this work, we constructed lattice-matched C 2 N/Pt(111) catalysts with different configurations (top/fcc/hcp) and found that, within the confined space between the cover and the substrate, the adsorption energy of CO is reduced by 0.35 eV to 0.43 eV, while the adsorption of other reactants O/O 2 is strengthened and the adsorption energy of the product CO 2 is positive, indicating that the constraint effect produced by C 2 N and Pt(111) is beneficial to CO oxidation, when compared to the pure Pt(111). Our work suggests that the C 2 N cover not only protects the Pt surface under harsh conditions but also allows gaseous molecules CO and O 2 to approach the Pt surface through a facile intercalation process, with enhanced surface reactivity for CO oxidation and reduced catalyst poisoning.