Porous hollow CoInOx nanocubes as a highly efficient catalyst for the catalytic combustion of toluene

The Structures and Compositions Design of the Hollow Micro-Nano-Structured Metal Oxides for Environmental Catalysis

In recent decades, with the rapid development of the inorganic synthesis and the increasing discharge of pollutants in the process of industrialization, hollow-structured metal oxides (HSMOs) have taken on a striking role in the field of environmental catalysis. This is all due to their unique structural characteristics compared to solid nanoparticles, such as high loading capacity, superior pore permeability, high specific surface area, abundant inner void space, and low density. Although the HSMOs with different morphologies have been reviewed and prospected in the aspect of synthesis strategies and potential applications, there has been no systematic review focusing on the structures and compositions design of HSMOs in the field of environmental catalysis so far. Therefore, this review will mainly focus on the component dependence and controllable structure of HSMOs in the catalytic elimination of different environmental pollutants, including the automobile and stationary source emissions, volatile organic compounds, greenhouse gases, ozone-depleting substances, and other potential pollutants. Moreover, we comprehensively reviewed the applications of the catalysts with hollow structure that are mainly composed of metal oxides such as CeO2, MnOx, CuOx, Co3O4, ZrO2, ZnO, Al3O4, In2O3, NiO, and Fe3O4 in automobile and stationary source emission control, volatile organic compounds emission control, and the conversion of greenhouse gases and ozone-depleting substances. The structure-activity relationship is also briefly discussed. Finally, further challenges and development trends of HSMO catalysts in environmental catalysis are also prospected.

Insight into modified CeMn based catalysts for efficient degradation of toluene by in situ infrared

Trace activated carbon (AC) and diatomaceous earth (DE) were used as structural promoters to be incorporated into Ce-Mn-based solid-solution catalysts by the redox precipitation method. The modified catalysts exhibit superior reducibility, with abundant Ce3+, Mn3+and reactive oxygen species, which are facilitated to the migration of oxygen and the generation of oxygen vacancies. In particular, the catalytic combustion temperatures of 90 % toluene (3000 ppm) on Ce1Mn3Ox-AC/DE were 84 °C (dry) and 123 °C (10 vol% H2O), respectively. The role of lattice oxygen and adsorbed oxygen was revealed by in situ DRIFTS. Additionally, in situ DRIFTS was employed to verify that the degradation of toluene by Ce1Mn3Ox-AC/DE satisfied the Langmuir-Hinshelwood (L-H) mechanism and the Mars-Van Krevelen (MvK) mechanism. The possible reaction pathway was elucidated (toluene → benzyl alcohol → benzoic acid → maleic anhydride → CO2 + H2O). Furthermore, final products attributed to toluene oxidation were detected by in situ DRIFTS at 50 °C in the absence of oxygen, confirming that the catalyst possessed outstanding performance at low temperatures beyond mere adsorption.

Pt-Co nanoparticles supported on hollow multi-shelled CeO2 as a catalyst for highly efficient toluene oxidation: Morphology control and the role of bimetal synergism

A series of hollow multi-shelled CeO₂ (HoMS-CeO₂) support materials with tunable shell numbers were fabricated and applied to the catalytic oxidation of toluene. HoMS-CeO₂ possess much higher catalytic activity (T₉₀ = 236 ℃) than hollow CeO₂ with only a single shell (h-CeO₂) (T₉₀ = 275℃). The porous multiple-shelled structure has a higher S_BET, which strongly promotes gas distribution and provides more active sites. The superiority of this kind of structure was also verified by comparing h-Co₃O₄ and HoMS-Co₃O₄. Furthermore, Pt-Co bimetallic nanoparticles were loaded onto HoMS-CeO₂. The synergistic effect between Pt and Co was verified by XPS and O₂-TPD, which was observed to allow electron transfer between Pt and Co and thus regulate the electronic state of the Pt. Compared with Pt alone, Pt-Co bimetallic nanoparticles could stronglypromotethe activation of O₂and oxygen mobility, as revealed by a much higher O_ads content and a lower oxygen desorption temperature. Of the catalysts prepared in this study, the 1 wt% PtCo₃/CeO₂ catalyst was found to be the most suitable for toluene oxidation owing to its excellent activity (T₉₀ = 158 ℃), long-term stability, and water resistance. Finally, in situ DRIFTS was employed to investigate mechanism during toluene oxidation and the possible reaction pathway was proposed.

Pt-Embedded-Co3O4 hollow structure as a highly efficient catalyst for toluene combustion

Pt embedded Co₃O₄ hollow structure nanocomposites (Pt@Co₃O₄) were facilely prepared through metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) sacrificial strategy. Compared with Pt/Co₃O₄ and bare Co₃O₄ catalyst, it shows excellent toluene combustion performance.

Precise design and synthesis of Pd/InOx@CoOx core-shell nanofibers for the highly efficient catalytic combustion of toluene

In this work, Pd/InO_x@CoO_x core-shell nanofibers, CoO_x@Pd/InO_x core-shell nanofibers and Pd/InO_x/CoO_x nanofibers with different morphologies have been successfully synthesized for the catalytic combustion of toluene. Among them, the Pd/InO_x@CoO_x core-shell sample is novel and composed of Pd/InO_x nanotube cores, CoO_x nanocubes and CoO_x nanoparticle shells derived from ZIF-67. On the contrary, the CoO_x@Pd/InO_x core-shell catalyst is assembled by CoO_x nanocube cores and Pd/InO_x nanotube shells. Finally, the Pd/InO_x/CoO_x nanofibers as references are synthesized by a method similar to the synthesis of the CoO_x@Pd/InO_x core-shell sample. Interestingly, the Pd/InO_x@CoO_x core-shell sample displayed the best activity for toluene oxidation with T₉₀ = 253 °C, good thermal stability and good cyclic stability during three runs. Through some characterizations, it was verified that the Pd/InO_x@CoO_x core-shell sample exhibited the best performance for toluene oxidation reactions due to a larger specific surface area, higher reducibility, more abundant structural defects and oxygen vacancies, higher proportion of Pd⁰ and Co³⁺ species and higher lattice oxygen species than others. Simultaneously, the Pd/InO_x@CoO_x core-shell sample exhibited good thermal stability and cyclic stability, which might be due to the layer of the CoO_x shell to protect the stability of the Pd nanoparticle core.

Confinement of Pt nanoparticles in cage-type mesoporous silica SBA-16 as efficient catalysts for toluene oxidation: the effect of carboxylic groups on the mesopore surface

In this work, 3D cage-type mesoporous SBA-16 materials functionalized with –COOH groups are used to support Pt metals and provide high catalytic activity for toluene oxidation.

Highly improved acetone oxidation activity over mesoporous hollow nanospherical MnxCo3−xO4 solid solutions

Mesoporous hollow nanospherical Mn_xCo_3−xO₄ solid solutions synthesized by a facile solvothermal alcoholysis have been developed to catalyze acetone oxidation for the first time.