Hydrothermal Synthesis of a Novel Double‐Sided Nanobrush Co3O4 Catalyst and Its Catalytic Performance for Benzene Oxidation

Abstract

AbstractA double‐sided nanobrush Co3O4 (Co3O4−B) catalyst was successfully prepared by a hydrothermal method for the first time, and Co3O4 rods (Co3O4−R), Co3O4 hexagonal plates (Co3O4−H) and Co3O4 double‐sided helianthus discs (Co3O4−D) were also synthesized through tuning the water/ethanol ratio. Among all of the as‐prepared catalysts, the Co3O4−B catalyst exhibited the best catalytic activity for benzene oxidation. The excellent catalytic performance could be attributed to the surface abundance Co3+ species, good low‐temperature reducibility and high number of lattice defects with substantial active oxygen species, which resulted from the unique structure of the double‐sided nanobrush. The stability and water tolerance tests demonstrated that the Co3O4−B catalyst displays excellent stability for benzene combustion, and the deactivation caused by water vapor is also reversible. It is concluded that the unique structure of the catalysts plays a crucial role in determining its catalytic oxidation performance.