Tuning Adsorbate‐Mediated Strong Metal‐Support Interaction by Oxygen Vacancy: A Case Study in Ru/TiO2

The adsorbate‐mediated strong metal‐support interaction (A‐SMSI) offers a reversible means of altering the selectivity of supported metal catalysts, thereby providing a powerful tool for facile modulation of catalytic performance. However, the fundamental understanding of A‐SMSI remains inadequate and methods for tuning A‐SMSI are still in their nascent stages, impeding its stabilization under reaction conditions. Here, we report that the initial concentration of oxygen vacancy in oxide supports plays a key role in tuning the A‐SMSI between Ru nanoparticles and defected titania (TiO2‐x). Based on this new understanding, we demonstrate the in‐situ formation of A‐SMSI under reaction conditions, obviating the typically required CO2‐rich pretreatment. The as‐formed A‐SMSI layer exhibits remarkable stability at various temperatures, enabling excellent activity, selectivity and long‐term stability in catalyzing the reverse water gas‐shift reaction. This study deepens the understanding of the A‐SMSI and the ability to stabilize A‐SMSI under reaction conditions represents a key step for practical catalytic applications.