Benzene Abatement Research Articles

Highly efficient UV-Vis-infrared catalytic purification of benzene on CeMnxOy/TiO2 nanocomposite, caused by its high thermocatalytic activity and strong absorption in the full solar spectrum region

The CeMnxOy/TiO2 nanocomposite exhibits highly efficient catalytic activity for benzene abatement with UV-visible-infrared irradiation.

Coupling Noble Metals and Carbon Supports in the Development of Combustion Catalysts for the Abatement of BTX Compounds in Air Streams

The catalytic combustion of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is one of the most important techniques to remove these pollutants from the air stream, but it should be carried out at the lowest possible temperature, saving energy and avoiding the simultaneous formation of nitrogen oxides (NOx). Under these experimental conditions, the chemisorption of water generated from VOCs combustion may inhibit hydrophilic catalysts. Nowadays, a wide variety of carbon materials is available to be used in catalysis. The behavior of these hydrophobic materials in the development of highly active and selective combustion catalysts is analyzed in this manuscript. The support characteristics (porosity, hydrophobicity, structure, surface chemistry, etc.) and the active phase nature (noble metals: Pt, Pd) and dispersion were analyzed by several techniques and the results correlated with the dual adsorptive and/or catalytic performance of the corresponding catalysts. The coupling of highly active phases and carbon materials (activated carbons, honeycomb coated monoliths, carbon aerogels, etc.) with tuneable physicochemical properties leads to the complete abatement of benzene, toluene and xylenes (BTX) from dilute air streams, being selectively oxidized to CO2 at low temperatures.

Enhanced degradation of gaseous benzene under vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) irradiation over TiO2 modified by transition metals

Abstract Vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) lamps were used to enhance photocatalytic degradation of gaseous benzene. A series of transition metal modified TiO 2 were developed to improve benzene removal efficiency and eliminate ozone byproduct. Among the prepared catalysts, Mn/TiO 2 obtained the best catalytic activity toward benzene oxidation due to its superior capacity for ozone decomposition. The catalysts with better capacity for ozone decomposition have higher benzene removal efficiency. Photocatalytic oxidation efficiency of benzene under VUV irradiation reached 58%, which is over 20 times higher than that under 254 nm UV irradiation. In addition, ozone can be completely eliminated by Mn/TiO 2 . Benzene degradation was greatly enhanced by ozone via catalytic ozonation. Water vapor played a dual role in benzene oxidation in the VUV-PCO process. Catalytic ozonation is mainly responsible for benzene abatement at low humidity while 185 nm photooxidation is the dominant pathway at high humidity.