Ambient sunlight-driven high performance chlorinated volatile organic compound oxidation by Cu0.15Mn0.15Ce0.7Ox hollow spheres

Abstract

The catalytic oxidation of chlorinated volatile organic compounds (CVOCs) faces the stringent constraint of high reaction temperature for large-scale applications. In this work, hollow spherical Cu_0.15Mn_0.15Ce_0.7O_x was synthesized using the carbon sphere template method, and Cu_0.15Mn_0.15Ce_0.7O_x decreased the T₁₀₀ of chlorobenzene (CB) by 55 °C compared to the bulk Cu_0.15Mn_0.15Ce_0.7O_x without the template. Furthermore, the regular spherical structure of Cu_0.15Mn_0.15Ce_0.7O_x endowed it with a larger surface area, more Mn⁴⁺, and richer oxygen vacancies. These combined merits triggered more active oxygen species, better redox property, and improved adsorption capacity, ultimately resulting in the superior activity of Cu_0.15Mn_0.15Ce_0.7O_x. Furthermore, an elaborate photothermal device was used to drive catalysis by sunlight. Cu_0.15Mn_0.15Ce_0.7O_x could be heated to 300.8 °C under one standard sunlight and achieved a CB conversion rate of 3.5 mmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹. This catalytic oxidation system maintained complete degradation with robust stability for 48 h. These findings reveal the synergistic combination of ternary metal oxides and ambient sunlight-driven catalysis for the efficient degradation of CVOCs.