Tuning the K+ concentration in the tunnel of OMS-2 nanorods leads to a significant enhancement of the catalytic activity for benzene oxidation.

OMS-2 nanorods with tunable K(+) concentration were prepared by a facile hydrothermal redox reaction of MnSO4, (NH4)2S2O8, and (NH4)2SO4 at 120 °C by adding KNO3 at different KNO3/MnSO4 molar ratios. The OMS-2 nanorod catalysts are characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, N2 adsorption and desorption, inductively coupled plasma, and X-ray photoelectron spectrometry. The effect of K(+) concentration on the lattice oxygen activity of OMS-2 is theoretically and experimentally studied by density functional theory calculations and CO temperature-programmed reduction. The results show that increasing the K(+) concentration leads to a considerable enhancement of the lattice oxygen activity in OMS-2 nanorods. An enormous decrease (ΔT50 = 89 °C; ΔT90 > 160 °C) in reaction temperatures T50 and T90 (corresponding to 50 and 90% benzene conversion, respectively) for benzene oxidation has been achieved by increasing the K(+) concentration in the K(+)-doped OMS-2 nanorods due to the considerable enhancement of the lattice oxygen activity.