Plasma-catalytic oxidation of toluene over MCeZrOx/TiO2 (M = Cu, Mn, Ni and Co) catalysts using a dielectric barrier discharge reactor

Abstract

Plasma catalysis is recognized as a promising technology for the elimination of diluted volatile organic compounds (VOCs). In this study, a hybrid process was carried out using dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) and MCeZr/TiO₂ (M = Cu, Mn, Ni, and Co) catalysts for the degradation of VOCs. The plasma-catalytic system demonstrated a substantial improvement in toluene conversion and CO₂ selectivity compared to the plasma-only system owing to the synergistic effects of plasma and thermal catalysis on toluene degradation. The performance of toluene removal follows the sequence of CuCeZr/T > NiCeZr/T > CoCeZr/T > MnCeZr/T in plasma catalysis. The CuCeZr/T catalyst demonstrated the highest toluene conversion of 99.0% and a CO₂ selectivity of 91.0% at a discharge power of 30 W. Energetic electrons and reactive species generated by plasma actively participate in toluene activation in the gas phase and facilitate adsorption on the catalyst surface. The redox properties between Ce⁴⁺/Ce³⁺ and Cu⁺/Cu²⁺ species dictated the reducibility of the CuCeZr/T catalyst, promoting oxygen cycling during toluene oxidation and leading to enhanced catalytic performance. The pathways of toluene destruction in the plasma-catalysis system are discussed based on the analysis results of GC–MS, optical emission spectroscopy and calculations of the electron-impact reactions.