Defective Ultrafine MnO_<i>x</i> Nanoparticles Confined within a Carbon Matrix for Low-Temperature Oxidation of Volatile Organic Compounds

Abstract

The development of catalysts for volatile organic compound (VOC) treatment by catalytic oxidation is of great significance to improve the atmospheric environment. Size-effect and oxygen vacancy engineering are effective strategies for designing high-efficiency heterogeneous catalysts. Herein, we explored the in situ carbon-confinement-oxidation method to synthesize ultrafine MnO_<i>x</i> nanoparticles with adequately exposed defects. They exhibited an outstanding catalytic performance with a <i>T</i>₉₀ of 167 °C for acetone oxidation, which is 73 °C lower than that of bulk MnO_<i>x</i> (240 °C). This excellent catalytic activity was primarily ascribed to their high surface area, rich oxygen vacancies, abundant active oxygen species, and good reducibility at low temperatures. Importantly, the synthesized ultrafine MnO_<i>x</i> exhibited impressive stability in long-term, cycling and water-resistance tests. Moreover, the possible mechanism for acetone oxidation over MnO_<i>x</i>-NA was revealed. In this work, we not only prepared a promising material for removing VOCs but also provided a new strategy for the rational design of ultrafine nanoparticles with abundant defects.