A Laser-Induced Mo2 CTx MXene Hybrid Anode for High-Performance Li-Ion Batteries.

MXenes, a fast-growing family of two-dimensional (2D) transition metal carbides/nitrides, are promising for electronics and energy storage applications. Mo2 CTx MXene, in particular, has demonstrated a higher capacity than other MXenes as an anode for Li-ion batteries. Yet, such enhanced capacity is accompanied by slow kinetics and poor cycling stability. Herein, it is revealed that the unstable cycling performance of Mo2 CTx is attributed to the partial oxidation into MoOx with structural degradation. A laser-induced Mo2 CTx /Mo2 C (LS-Mo2 CTx ) hybrid anode has been developed, of which the Mo2 C nanodots boost redox kinetics, and the laser-reduced oxygen content prevents the structural degradation caused by oxidation. Meanwhile, the strong connections between the laser-induced Mo2 C nanodots and Mo2 CTx nanosheets enhance conductivity and stabilize the structure during charge-discharge cycling. The as-prepared LS-Mo2 CTx anode exhibits an enhanced capacity of 340 mAh g-1 vs 83 mAh g-1 (for pristine) and an improved cycling stability (capacity retention of 106.2% vs 80.6% for pristine) over 1000 cycles. The laser-induced synthesis approach underlines the potential of MXene-based hybrid materials for high-performance energy storage applications.

A 2.75†V ammonium-based dual-ion battery.

The popular metal-ion batteries (MIBs) suffer from environmental and economic issues because of their heavy dependency on nonrenewable metals. Here, we propose a metal-free ammonium (NH4 + )-based dual-ion battery with a record-breaking operation voltage of 2.75 V. The working mechanism of this sustainable battery involves the reversible anion (PF6 - ) intercalation chemistry in graphite cathode and NH4 + intercalation behavior in PTCDI (3,4,9,10-perylenetetracarboxylic diimide) anode. This new battery configuration successfully circumvented the reduction susceptibility of NH4 + and the lack of mature NH4 + -rich cathodes for NH4 + ion batteries (AIBs). The customized organic NH4 + electrolyte endows the graphite||PTCDI full battery with durable longevity (over 1000 cycles) and a high energy density (200 Wh kg-1 ). We show that the development of AIBs should be high-voltage-oriented while circumventing low operation potential to avoid NH4 + reduction.

Perovskite-Based Artificial Multiple Quantum Wells.

Semiconductor quantum well structures have been critical to the development of modern photonics and solid-state optoelectronics. Quantum level tunable structures have introduced new transformative device applications and afforded a myriad of groundbreaking studies of fundamental quantum phenomena. However, noncolloidal, III-V compound quantum well structures are limited to traditional semiconductor materials fabricated by stringent epitaxial growth processes. This report introduces artificial multiple quantum wells (MQWs) built from CsPbBr3 perovskite materials using commonly available thermal evaporator systems. These perovskite-based MQWs are spatially aligned on a large-area substrate with multiple stacking and systematic control over well/barrier thicknesses, resulting in tunable optical properties and a carrier confinement effect. The fabricated CsPbBr3 artificial MQWs can be designed to display a variety of photoluminescence (PL) characteristics, such as a PL peak shift commensurate with the well/barrier thickness, multiwavelength emissions from asymmetric quantum wells, the quantum tunneling effect, and long-lived hot-carrier states. These new artificial MQWs pave the way toward widely available semiconductor heterostructures for light-conversion applications that are not restricted by periodicity or a narrow set of dimensions.

Tuning the Electrochemical Performance of Titanium Carbide MXene by Controllable In Situ Anodic Oxidation.

MXenes are a class of two-dimensional (2D) transition metal carbides, nitrides and carbonitrides that have shown promise for high-rate pseudocapacitive energy storage. However, the effects that irreversible oxidation have on the surface chemistry and electrochemical properties of MXenes are still not understood. Here we report on a controlled anodic oxidation method which improves the rate performance of titanium carbide MXene (Ti3 C2 Tx, Tx refers to -F, =O, -Cl and -OH) electrodes in acidic electrolytes. The capacitance retention at 2000 mV s-1 (with respect to the lowest scan rate of 5 mV s-1 ) increases gradually from 38 % to 66 % by tuning the degree of anodic oxidation. At the same time, a loss in the redox behavior of Ti3 C2 Tx is evident at high anodic potentials after oxidation. Several analysis methods are employed to reveal changes in the structure and surface chemistry while simultaneously introducing defects, without compromising electrochemically active sites, are key factors for improving the rate performance of Ti3 C2 Tx . This study demonstrates improvement of the electrochemical performance of MXene electrodes by performing a controlled anodic oxidation.

Bidentate Ligand-Passivated CsPbI3 Perovskite Nanocrystals for Stable Near-Unity Photoluminescence Quantum Yield and Efficient Red Light-Emitting Diodes.

Although halide perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) are promising materials for optoelectronic devices, they suffer severely from chemical and phase instabilities. Moreover, the common capping ligands like oleic acid and oleylamine that encapsulate the NCs will form an insulating layer, precluding their utility in optoelectronic devices. To overcome these limitations, we develop a postsynthesis passivation process for CsPbI3 NCs by using a bidentate ligand, namely 2,2'-iminodibenzoic acid. Our passivated NCs exhibit narrow red photoluminescence with exceptional quantum yield (close to unity) and substantially improved stability. The passivated NCs enabled us to realize red light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with 5.02% external quantum efficiency and 748 cd/m2 luminance, surpassing by far LEDs made from the nonpassivated NCs.

Doping-Induced Anisotropic Self-Assembly of Silver Icosahedra in [Pt2Ag23Cl7(PPh3)10] Nanoclusters.

Atomically precise self-assembled architectures of noble metals with unique surface structures are necessary for prospective applications. However, the synthesis of such structures based on silver is challenging because of their instability. In this work, by developing a selective and controlled doping strategy, we synthesized and characterized a rod-shaped, charge-neutral, diplatinum-doped Ag nanocluster (NC) of [Pt2Ag23Cl7(PPh3)10]. Its crystal structure revealed the self-assembly of two Pt-centered Ag icosahedra through vertex sharing. Five bridging and two terminal chlorides and 10 PPh3 ligands were found to stabilize the cluster. Electronic structure simulations corroborated structural and optical characterization of the cluster and provided insights into the effect of the Pt dopants on the optical properties and stability of the cluster. Our study will open new avenues for designing novel self-assembled NCs using different elemental dopants.

A New Class of Atomically Precise, Hydride-Rich Silver Nanoclusters Co-Protected by Phosphines.

Thiols and phosphines are the most widely used organic ligands to attain atomically precise metal nanoclusters (NCs). Here, we used simple hydrides (e.g., H-) as ligands along with phosphines, such as triphenylphosphine (TPP), 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane [DPPE], and tris(4-fluorophenyl)phosphine [TFPP] to design and synthesize a new class of hydride-rich silver NCs. This class includes [Ag18H16(TPP)10]2+, [Ag25H22(DPPE)8]3+, and [Ag26H22(TFPP)13]2+. Our work reveals a new family of atomically precise NCs protected by H- ligands and labile phosphines, with potentially more accessible active metal sites for functionalization and provides a new set of stable NC sizes with simpler ligand-metal bonding for researchers to explore both experimentally and computationally.

Transmission electron microscopy of carbon-coated and iron-doped titania nanoparticles.

We present a study on the properties of iron (Fe)-doped and carbon (C)-coated titania (TiO2) nanoparticles (NPs) which has been compiled by using x-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). These TiO2 NPs were prepared by using the flame synthesis method. This method allows the simultaneous C coating and Fe doping of TiO2 NPs. XRD investigations revealed that the phase of the prepared NPs was anatase TiO2. Conventional TEM analysis showed that the average size of the TiO2 NPs was about 65 nm and that the NPs were uniformly coated with the element C. Furthermore, from the x-ray energy dispersive spectrometry analysis, it was found that about 8 at.% Fe was present in the synthesized samples. High-resolution TEM (HRTEM) revealed the graphitized carbon structure of the layer surrounding the prepared TiO2 NPs. HRTEM analysis further revealed that the NPs possessed the crystalline structure of anatase titania. Energy-filtered TEM (EFTEM) analysis showed the C coating and Fe doping of the NPs. The ratio of L3 and L2 peaks for the Ti-L23 and Fe-L23 edges present in the core loss electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) revealed a +4 oxidation state for the Ti and a +3 oxidation state for the Fe. These EELS results were further confirmed with XPS analysis. The electronic properties of the samples were investigated by applying Kramers-Kronig analysis to the low-loss EELS spectra acquired from the prepared NPs. The presented results showed that the band gap energy of the TiO2 NPs decreased from an original value of 3.2 eV to about 2.2 eV, which is quite close to the ideal band gap energy of 1.65 eV for photocatalysis semiconductors. The observed decrease in band gap energy of the TiO2 NPs was attributed to the presence of Fe atoms at the lattice sites of the anatase TiO2 lattice. In short, C-coated and Fe-doped TiO2 NPs were synthesized with a rather cost-effective and comparatively easily scalable method. The presented analysis enables us to predict the excellent efficiency of these NPs for solar-cell and photo-catalysis applications.

Mechanistic Insight into the Stability of HfO2 -Coated MoS2 Nanosheet Anodes for Sodium Ion Batteries.

It is demonstrated for the first time that surface passivation of 2D nanosheets of MoS2 by an ultrathin and uniform layer of HfO2 can significantly improve the cyclic performance of sodium ion batteries. After 50 charge/discharge cycles, bare MoS2 and HfO2 coated MoS2 electrodes deliver the specific capacity of 435 and 636 mAh g(-1) , respectively, at current density of 100 mA g(-1) . These results imply that batteries using HfO2 coated MoS2 anodes retain 91% of the initial capacity; in contrast, bare MoS2 anodes retain only 63%. Also, HfO2 coated MoS2 anodes show one of the highest reported capacity values for MoS2 . Cyclic voltammetry and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results suggest that HfO2 does not take part in electrochemical reaction. The mechanism of capacity retention with HfO2 coating is explained by ex situ transmission electron microscope imaging and electrical impedance spectroscopy. It is illustrated that HfO2 acts as a passivation layer at the anode/electrolyte interface and prevents structural degradation during charge/discharge process. Moreover, the amorphous nature of HfO2 allows facile diffusion of Na ions. These results clearly show the potential of HfO2 coated MoS2 anodes, which performance is significantly higher than previous reports where bulk MoS2 or composites of MoS2 with carbonaceous materials are used.

Passivation Layers in Mg-Metal Batteries: Robust Interphases for Li-Metal Batteries.

In advanced batteries, interphases serve as the key component in stabilizing the electrolyte with reactive electrode materials far beyond thermodynamic equilibria. While an active interphase facilitates the transport of working ions, an inactive interphase obstructs ion flow, constituting the primary barrier to the realization of battery chemistries. Here, a successful transformation of a traditionally inactive passivating layer on Mg-metal anode, characteristic of Mg-metal batteries with typical carbonate electrolytes, into an active and robust interphase in the Li-metal scenario is presented. By further strategically designing magnesiated Li+ electrolytes, the in situ development of this resilient interphase on Li-metal anodes, imparting enduring stability to Li-metal batteries with nickel-rich cathodes is induced. It is identified that the strong affinity between Mg2+ and anions in magnesiated Li+ electrolytes assembles ionic clusters with a bias for reducibility, thereby catalyzing the creation of anion-derived interphases rich in inorganic constituents. The prevalence of ionic clusters induced by magnesiation of electrolytes has brought properties only available in high-concentration electrolytes, suggesting a fresh paradigm of tailing electrolytes for highly reversible LMBs.

Enhanced Photoresponsivity UV-C Photodetectors Using a p-n Junction Based on Ultra-Wide-Band Gap Sn-Doped ß-Ga2O3 Microflake/MnO Quantum Dots.

Solar-blind self-powered UV-C photodetectors suffer from low performance, while heterostructure-based devices require complex fabrication and lack p-type wide band gap semiconductors (WBGSs) operating in the UV-C region (<290 nm). In this work, we mitigate the aforementioned issues by demonstrating a facile fabrication process for a high-responsivity solar-blind self-powered UV-C photodetector based on a p-n WBGS heterojunction structure, operating under ambient conditions. Here, heterojunction structures based on p-type and n-type ultra-wide band gap WBGSs (i.e. both are characterized by energy gap ≥4.5 eV) are demonstrated for the first time; mainly p-type solution-processed manganese oxide quantum dots (MnO QDs) and n-type Sn-doped ß-Ga2O3 microflakes. Highly crystalline p-type MnO QDs are synthesized using cost-effective and facile pulsed femtosecond laser ablation in ethanol (FLAL), while the n-type Ga2O3 microflakes are prepared by exfoliation. The solution-processed QDs are uniformly dropcasted on the exfoliated Sn-doped ß-Ga2O3 microflakes to fabricate a p-n heterojunction photodetector, resulting in excellent solar-blind UV-C photoresponse characteristics (with a cutoff at ∼265 nm) being demonstrated. Further analyses using XPS demonstrate the good band alignment between p-type MnO QDs and n-type ß-Ga2O3 microflakes with a type-II heterojunction. Superior photoresponsivity (922 A/W) is obtained under bias, while the self-powered responsivity is ∼86.9 mA/W. The fabrication strategy adopted in this study will provide a cost-effective means for the development of flexible and highly efficient UV-C devices suitable for energy-saving large-scale fixable applications.

A strategy for high ethylene polymerization performance using titanium single-site catalysts.

The synthesis of heterogeneous Ti(IV)-based catalysts for ethylene polymerization following surface organometallic chemistry concepts is described. The unique feature of this catalyst arises from the silica support, KCC-1700. It has (i) a 3D fibrous morphology that is essential to improve the diffusion of the reactants, and (ii) an aluminum-bound hydroxyl group, [(Si-O-Si)(Si-O-)2Al-OH] 2, used as an anchoring site. The [(Si-O-Si)(Si-O-)(Al-O-)TiNp3] 3 catalyst was obtained by reacting 2 with a tetrakis-(neopentyl) titanium TiNp4. The structure of 3 was fully characterized by FT-IR, advanced solid-state NMR spectroscopy [1H, 13C], elemental and gas-phase analysis (ICP-OES and CHNS analysis), and XPS. The benefits of combining these morphological (3D structure) and electronic properties of the support (aluminum plus titanium) were evidenced in ethylene polymerization. The results show a remarkable enhancement in the catalytic performance with the formation of HDPE. Notably, the resulting HDPE displays a molecular weight of 3 200 000 g mol-1 associated with a polydispersity index (PD) of 2.3. Moreover, the effect of the mesostructure (2D vs. 3D) was demonstrated in the catalytic activity for ethylene polymerization.

Unusual Activity of Rationally Designed Cobalt Phosphide/Oxide Heterostructure Composite for Hydrogen Production in Alkaline Medium.

Design and development of an efficient, nonprecious catalyst with structural features and functionality necessary for driving the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in an alkaline medium remain a formidable challenge. At the root of the functional limitation is the inability to tune the active catalytic sites while overcoming the poor reaction kinetics observed under basic conditions. Herein, we report a facile approach to enable the selective design of an electrochemically efficient cobalt phosphide oxide composite catalyst on carbon cloth (CoP-CoxOy/CC), with good activity and durability toward HER in alkaline medium (η10 = -43 mV). Theoretical studies revealed that the redistribution of electrons at laterally dispersed Co phosphide/oxide interfaces gives rise to a synergistic effect in the heterostructured composite, by which various Co oxide phases initiate the dissociation of the alkaline water molecule. Meanwhile, the highly active CoP further facilitates the adsorption-desorption process of water electrolysis, leading to extremely high HER activity.

Engineering Band-Type Alignment in CsPbBr3 Perovskite-Based Artificial Multiple Quantum Wells.

Semiconductor heterostructures of multiple quantum wells (MQWs) have major applications in optoelectronics. However, for halide perovskites-the leading class of emerging semiconductors-building a variety of bandgap alignments (i.e., band-types) in MQWs is not yet realized owing to the limitations of the current set of used barrier materials. Here, artificial perovskite-based MQWs using 2,2',2″-(1,3,5-benzinetriyl)-tris(1-phenyl-1-H-benzimidazole), tris-(8-hydroxyquinoline)aluminum, and 2,9-dimethyl-4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline as quantum barrier materials are introduced. The structures of three different five-stacked perovskite-based MQWs each exhibiting a different band offset with CsPbBr3 in the conduction and valence bands, resulting in a variety of MQW band alignments, i.e., type-I or type-II structures, are shown. Transient absorption spectroscopy reveals the disparity in charge carrier dynamics between type-I and type-II MQWs. Photodiodes of each type of perovskite artificial MQWs show entirely different carrier behaviors and photoresponse characteristics. Compared with bulk perovskite devices, type-II MQW photodiodes demonstrate a more than tenfold increase in the rectification ratio. The findings open new opportunities for producing halide-perovskite-based quantum devices by bandgap engineering using simple quantum barrier considerations.

Optical Properties and First-Principles Study of CH3NH3PbBr3 Perovskite Structures.

Solution-processed organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites have attracted attention as light-harvesting materials for solar cells and photonic applications. The present study focuses on cubic single crystals and microstructures of CH3NH3PbBr3 perovskite fabricated by a one-step solution-based self-assembly method. It is seen that, in addition to the nucleation from the precursor solution, crystallization occurs when the solution is supersaturated, followed by the formation of a small nucleus of CH3NH3PbBr3 that self-assembles into bigger hollow cubes. A three-dimensional (3D) fluorescence microscopy investigation of hollow cubes confirmed the formation of hollow plates on the bottom; then, the growth starts from the perimeter and propagates to the center of the cube. Furthermore, the growth in the (001) direction follows a layer-by-layer growth model to form a complete cube, confirmed by scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) observations. Two-dimensional (2D)-3D fluorescence microscopy and photoluminescence (PL) measurements confirm a peak emission at 535 nm. To get more insights into the structural and optical properties, density functional theory (DFT) simulations were conducted. The electronic and optical properties calculated by DFT are in agreement with the obtained experimental values. The density-of-state (DOS) calculations revealed that the valence band maximum (VBM) consists of states contributed by Br and Pb, which agrees with the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy valence band (XPS VB) measurements.

Real-Space Mapping of Surface-Oxygen Defect States in Photovoltaic Materials Using Low-Voltage Scanning Ultrafast Electron Microscopy.

Ultrathin layers of native oxides on the surface of photovoltaic materials may act as very efficient carrier trapping/recombination centers, thus significantly affecting their interfacial photophysical properties. How ultrathin oxide layers affect the surface and interface carrier dynamics cannot be selectively accessed by conventional ultrafast transient spectroscopic methods due to the deep penetration depth (tens to thousands of nanometers) of the pump/probe laser pulses. Herein, scanning ultrafast electron microscopy (S-UEM) at a low voltage of 1 keV electrons was recently developed at KAUST to selectively map the ultrafast charge carrier dynamics of a few layers on the top surfaces of photovoltaic materials. Unlike high-voltage 30 keV experiments, at 1 keV, the depth of detected secondary electrons (SEs) underneath the surface is significantly reduced 5 times, thus making it possible to visualize the dynamics of charge carrier from the uppermost surface of photoactive layers. More specifically, this new approach has been employed to explore and decipher the tremendous impact of native oxide layers and oxygen defect states on charge carrier dynamics in space and time simultaneously at sub-nanometer levels on several photovoltaic material surfaces, including Si, GaAs, CdTe, and CdZnTe single crystals. Interestingly, the contrast in the SEs time-resolved difference images switched from a dark "energy-loss mechanism" to a bright "energy-gain mechanism" only by removing the layers of surface oxides. Moreover, the charge carrier recombination was estimated and found to be dramatically affected by the native oxide layers. The density functional theory (DFT) calculations demonstrate that the work function of oxygen-terminated Si surface also increases slightly upon optical excitation and makes for less SE intensity, providing another piece of evidence that the origin of the dark contrast observed on these material surfaces should be assigned to the surface oxide formation, mainly oxygen defect states in the band gap and/or work function increment. Our findings provide a new method and pave the way for evaluating the effect of surface morphology and defects, including but not limited to native oxide, on charge carrier dynamics, and interfacial properties of photovoltaic absorber layers.

Pore engineering of ultrathin covalent organic framework membranes for organic solvent nanofiltration and molecular sieving.

The advantages of two dimensional covalent organic framework membranes to achieve high flux have been demonstrated, but the capability of easy structural modification to manipulate the pore size has not been fully explored yet. Here we report the use of the Langmuir-Blodgett method to synthesize two ultrathin covalent organic framework membranes (TFP-DPF and TFP-DNF) that have a similar framework structure to our previously reported covalent organic framework membrane (TFP-DHF) but different lengths of carbon chains aiming to rationally control the pore size. The membrane permeation results in the applications of organic solvent nanofiltration and molecular sieving of organic dyes showed a systematic shift of the membrane flux and molecular weight cut-off correlated to the pore size change. These results enhanced our fundamental understanding of transport through uniform channels at nanometer scales. Pore engineering of the covalent organic framework membranes was demonstrated for the first time.

A Highly Conductive Titanium Oxynitride Electron-Selective Contact for Efficient Photovoltaic Devices.

High-quality carrier-selective contacts with suitable electronic properties are a prerequisite for photovoltaic devices with high power conversion efficiency (PCE). In this work, an efficient electron-selective contact, titanium oxynitride (TiOx Ny ), is developed for crystalline silicon (c-Si) and organic photovoltaic devices. Atomic-layer-deposited TiOx Ny is demonstrated to be highly conductive with a proper work function (4.3 eV) and a wide bandgap (3.4 eV). Thin TiOx Ny films simultaneously provide a moderate surface passivation and enable a low contact resistivity on c-Si surfaces. By implementation of an optimal TiOx Ny -based contact, a state-of-the-art PCE of 22.3% is achieved for a c-Si solar cell featuring a full-area dopant-free electron-selective contact. Simultaneously, conductive TiOx Ny is proven to be an efficient electron-transport layer for organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices. A remarkably high PCE of 17.02% is achieved for an OPV device with an electron-transport TiOx Ny layer, which is superior to conventional ZnO-based devices with a PCE of 16.10%. Atomic-layer-deposited TiOx Ny ETL on a large area with a high uniformity may help accelerate the commercialization of emerging solar technologies.

MXenes for Plasmonic Photodetection.

MXenes have recently shown impressive optical and plasmonic properties associated with their ultrathin-atomic-layer structure. However, their potential use in photonic and plasmonic devices has been only marginally explored. Photodetectors made of five different MXenes are fabricated, among which molybdenum carbide MXene (Mo2 CTx ) exhibits the best performance. Mo2 CTx MXene thin films deposited on paper substrates exhibit broad photoresponse in the range of 400-800 nm with high responsivity (up to 9 A W-1 ), detectivity (≈5 × 1011 Jones), and reliable photoswitching characteristics at a wavelength of 660 nm. Spatially resolved electron energy-loss spectroscopy and ultrafast femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy of the MXene nanosheets reveal that the photoresponse of Mo2 CTx is strongly dependent on its surface plasmon-assisted hot carriers. Additionally, Mo2 CTx thin-film devices are shown to be relatively stable under ambient conditions, continuous illumination and mechanical stresses, illustrating their durable photodetection operation in the visible spectral range. Micro-Raman spectroscopy conducted on bare Mo2 CTx film and on gold electrodes allowing for surface-enhanced Raman scattering demonstrates surface chemistry and a specific low-frequency band that is related to the vibrational modes of the single nanosheets. The specific ability to detect and excite individual surface plasmon modes provides a viable platform for various MXene-based optoelectronic applications.

A strategy to convert propane to aromatics (BTX) using TiNp4 grafted at the periphery of ZSM-5 by surface organometallic chemistry.

The direct conversion of propane into aromatics (BTX) using modified ZSM-5 was achieved with a strategy of "catalysis by design". In contrast to the classical mode of action of classical aromatization catalysts which are purely based on acidity, we have designed the catalyst associating two functions: One function (Ti-hydride) was selected to activate the C-H bond of propane by σ-bond metathesis to further obtain olefin by ß-H elimination and the other function (Brønsted acid) being responsible for the oligomerization, cyclization, and aromatization. This bifunctional catalyst was obtained by selectively grafting a bulky organometallic complex of tetrakis(neopentyl)titanium (TiNp4) at the external surface (external silanol ([triple bond, length as m-dash]Si-OH) group) of [H-ZSM-5300] to obtain [Ti/ZSM-5] catalyst 1. This metal was chosen to activate the C-H bond of paraffin at the periphery of the ZSM-5 while maintaining the Brønsted acid properties of the internal [H-ZSM-5] for oligomerization, cyclization, and aromatization. Catalyst 2 [Ti-H/ZSM-5] was obtained after treatment under H2 at 550 °C of freshly prepared catalyst 1 ([Ti/ZSM-5]) and catalyst 1 was thoroughly characterized by ICP analysis, DRIFT, XRD, N2-physisorption, multinuclear solid-state NMR, XPS and HR-TEM analysis including STEM imaging. The conversion of propane to aromatics was studied in a dynamic flow reactor. With the pristine [H-ZSM-5300] catalyst, the conversion of propane is very low. However, with [Ti-H/ZSM-5] catalyst 2 under the same reaction conditions, the conversion of propane remains significant during 60 h of the reaction (ca. 22%). Furthermore, the [Ti-H/ZSM-5] catalyst shows a good and stable selectivity (55%) for aromatics (BTX) of time on stream. With 2, it was found that the Ti remains at the periphery of the [H-ZSM-5] even after reaction time.