Search

• Coexisting isolated CuO and Cu–O–Ti were synthesized via one-step AASA. • Long-term stability (250 °C, 200 h) on CO oxidation mineralization. • Estimated temperature-dependence TOF summarized the effects of active sites. • Isolated CuO contributed to the initiation of the reaction at about 50 °C. • CO oxidation was dominated by the interfacial site of Cu–O–Ti. Although the low-temperature reaction mechanism of catalytic CO oxidation reaction remains unclear, the active sites of copper play a crucial role in this mechanism. One-step aerosol-assisted self-assembly (AASA) process has been developed for the synthesis of mesoporous Cu-doped TiO 2 microspheres (CuTMS) to incorporate copper into the TiO 2 lattice. This strategy highly enhanced the dispersion of copper from 41.10 to 83.65%. Long-term stability of the as-synthesized CuTMS materials for catalytic CO oxidation reaction was monitored using real-time mass spectrum. Isolated CuO and Cu-O-Ti were formed as determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The formation of the Cu-O-Ti bonds in the crystal lattice changes the electron densities of Ti(IV) and O, causing a subsequent change in Ti(III)/Ti(IV) and O non /O Total ratio. 20CuTMS contained the highest lattice distortion (0.44) in which the O non /O Total ratio is lowest (0.18). This finding may be attributed to the absolute formation of the Cu-O-Ti bonds in the crystal lattice. However, the decrease of Ti(III)/Ti(IV) ratio to about 0.35 of 25CuTMS was caused by the CuO cluster formation on the surface. N 2 O titration-assisted H 2 temperature-programmed reduction and in-situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy revealed the properties of copper and effects of active sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]