Electrostatically Induced Non‐Uniform Surface Charges Enhancing HCHO Catalytic Oxidation Based on Elastic Sponge Catalyst

Abstract Transition metal oxide shows great potential in catalytic formaldehyde (HCHO) pollution degradation at room temperature, while it is still difficult to overcome the efficiency attenuation caused by limited reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation during catalysis. An elastic spongy catalyst with Cu‐modified polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) organic skeleton (PDMS@Cu) supported hydroxy‐modified MnO x (MnO x ‐OH) is prepared hereon, named PDMS@Cu/MnO x ‐OH. Deformation of the elastic carrier causes the contact‐separation friction between Cu and PDMS to generate electrostatically induced nonuniform charges, which provide enriched electrons and transient electric field (EF) to enhance ROS generation and HCHO catalytic oxidation. In HCHO dynamic tests (∼12 ppm at the weight hourly space velocity (WHSV) of 120 000 mL g cat. −1 h), the catalyst PDMS@Cu/MnO x ‐OH achieved ∼100% HCHO removal efficiency, with an HCHO‐to‐CO 2 conversion efficiency of 82.47%, which is 32.47% higher than that without non‐uniform electrostatic charges, and sustained complete real‐time HCHO degradation within 24 h at room temperature. Coupled with Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations and COMSOL physics simulations, the potential pathway of nonuniform surface charges and transient EF enhancing HCHO catalytic oxidation is unveiled, offering a theoretical foundation and novel strategy for efficient and long‐term indoor pollutant degradation under the action of sustainably electrostatically induced charges.