Complete catalytic oxidation of formaldehyde at room temperature on MnxCo3-xO4 catalysts derived from metal-organic frameworks

Abstract Developing cost-effective non-noble catalysts for completely decomposing formaldehyde (HCHO) into harmless CO2 and H2O at room temperature remains great challenges for indoor air purification. Herein, MnxCo3-xO4 solid solutions are prepared via the calcination of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with different Co/Mn molar ratios. The catalyst (Mn1Co1) achieves 100 % HCHO removal at room temperature for the first time, and possesses excellent stability. During an intermittent test and a non-stop 34 -h test, the HCHO removal efficiency remains almost 100 %. The complete oxidation of HCHO is confirmed by the disappearance of HCHO peaks and the increase of CO2 peak intensity in effluent gas analysis. In situ DRIFTS results show that formate species is the main intermediate and it can be further oxidized to CO2 and H2O as final products in the presence of water vapor. The superior catalytic activity and stability of the Mn1Co1 catalyst endow its great potential in the HCHO removal application.