Removal of benzene by non-thermal plasma catalysis over manganese oxides through a facile synthesis method

Abstract

Three manganese oxide catalysts (MnO_x) were synthesized via a simple method, and then they were introduced into the non-thermal plasma (NTP) system for benzene removal. The XRD and EXAFS results showed the MnO_x were mainly in the Mn₃O₄ phase, and from the analysis of N₂ adsorption/desorption isotherms, we knew the MnO_x calcined at 250 °C (Mn250) had the largest surface area of 274.5 m² g⁻¹. Besides, Mn250 also exerted higher benzene adsorption capacity (0.430 mmol g⁻¹) according to C₆H₆-TPD. O₂-TPD indicated that Mn250 showed better oxygen mobility than Mn300. Moreover, by analyzing XPS results, it revealed that Mn250 exhibited rich abundant of surface adsorbed oxygen species (O_ads) and moderate ratio of Mn⁴⁺/Mn³⁺, and the reducibility temperature was also the lowest among all the MnO_x catalysts drawn by H₂-TPR profiles. As a result, Mn250 combined with NTP could remove 96.9% of benzene at a low input power of 3 W (benzene concentration 200 ppm, and GHSV 60,000 mL g_cat.⁻¹ h⁻¹), performing the best catalytic activity among the three catalysts and plasma only. Furthermore, the "NTP + Mn250" system also produced the highest CO₂ concentration and lowest CO concentration in downstream, and the residual O₃ after catalytic reaction was also the lowest, that is to say, the synergistic effect between NTP and Mn250 was more effective than other catalysts in benzene removal.

Graphical abstract

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