Efficient defect engineering in Co-Mn binary oxides for low-temperature propane oxidation

Abstract

Cobalt-manganese composite oxides have high-activity potential for catalytic oxidation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). However, low defect content and poor oxygen mobility of the spinel structure make it difficult to efficiently activate CH bonds of propane at low-temperature. Herein, novel amorphous Co-Mn binary oxides with enhanced defect were fabricated by a facile self-redox approach. Highly defective amorphous CoMn binary oxides with low-temperature reducibility, weak MnO bond strength and good mobility of the surface lattice oxygen remarkably improved the catalytic activity for propane oxidation. Highly defective amorphous Co1Mn3Ox catalyst showed the best catalytic activity for propane mineralization and the T90 was 207℃ under high space velocity (18 000 mL·g−1 h−1). Moreover, in situ spectroscopy technologies were utilized to explore the structure-activity relationship and the degradation mechanism of propane oxidation under real reaction condition. Significantly, as an effective defect engineering strategy, amorphous binary oxides exhibit excellent activity and can provide some enlightenments for developing efficient VOCs catalysts.