Highly efficient cobalt-promoted V₂O₅/SiO₂ catalyst for the oxidation of volatile organic compounds by ozone

The study demonstrates the possibility of promoting the V₂O₅/SiO₂ catalyst with a small amount of Co to increase its activity in the ozone-assisted catalytic oxidation (OZCO) of volatile organic compounds. It was found that the conversion of n-C₄H₁₀ over the Co-promoted V₂O₅/SiO₂ catalyst (0.5% of Co w/w) at 50–100 °C significantly increases compared to that found over the reference catalysts Co₃O₄/SiO₂ and V₂O₅/SiO₂. This is achieved by increasing the rate of O₃ decomposition at Co sites, which enhances the formation of reactive atomic oxygen species O*, and subsequent acceleration of the OZCO process. High efficiency of ozone consumption in the OZCO of n-C₄H₁₀ over the Co-promoted V₂O₅/SiO₂ catalyst is due to the involvement of molecular oxygen in the oxidation reaction and to minimization of undesired recombination of the O* species.