Thermocatalytic Decomposition of Dimethyl Methylphosphonate Using CuO/ZrO2 Catalysts with Hollow Microsphere Morphology

Nerve agents, a highly toxic class of chemical warfare agents, pose serious risks to human health and social stability. Metal oxides are commonly used as catalysts to break down these agents through thermocatalytic decomposition. In particular, bimetallic oxide catalysts offer enhanced stability and catalytic efficiency due to their synergistic effects. In this study, CuO/ZrO2 composite catalysts with varying Cu/Zr ratios were synthesized using a secondary hydrothermal method, resulting in a hollow microsphere morphology. The catalytic efficiency of these composites in thermocatalytically decomposing dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP), a sarin simulant, was systematically evaluated. The findings revealed that the catalyst with a 10%Cu/Zr ratio exhibited the best performance, achieving the longest protection duration of 272 min. The hollow microsphere structure facilitated high dispersion of CuO on the ZrO2 surface, promoting strong interactions and generation of oxygen vacancies, which enhanced the catalytic activity. Furthermore, the catalytic reaction mechanism was explored by analyzing the surface characteristics of the catalyst and the resulting reaction products. This research addresses a gap in the application of CuO/ZrO2 catalysts for DMMP decomposition and provides valuable insights for the future development of catalysts for chemical warfare agent degradation.