Controllable Fabrication of Tungsten Oxide Nanoparticles Confined in Graphene-Analogous Boron Nitride as an Efficient Desulfurization Catalyst

Tungsten oxide nanoparticles (WO_xNPs) are gaining increasing attention, but low stabiliity and poor dispersion of WO_xNPs hinder their catalytic applications. Herein, WO_xNPs were confined in graphene-analogous boron nitride (g-BN) by a one-step, in situ method at high temperature, which can enhance the interactions between WO_xNPs and the support and control the sizes of WO_xNPs in a range of about 4–5 nm. The as-prepared catalysts were applied in catalytic oxidation of aromatic sulfur compounds in which they showed high catalytic activity. A balance between the W loading and the size distribution of the WO_xNPs could govern the catalytic activity. Furthermore, a synergistic effect between g-BN and WO_xNPs also contributed to high catalytic activity. The reaction mechanism is discussed in detail and the catalytic scope was enlarged.