Novel insight into the influence of supports on the performance of α-MnO2 catalysts for ozone-assisted VOC oxidation: A comparative study of inert and semiconductor supports, impact of operational parameters, and stability assessments

This study investigates the impact of different supports on the performance of α-MnO₂ in ozone-assisted catalytic oxidation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Two supports, ZSM-5 and SiO 2 , were compared for effectiveness in removing polar (acetone) and nonpolar (toluene) VOCs. Catalysts were characterized by TGA, BET, TEM, XRD, HRTEM, XPS, EDX, and SEM analyses. Results showed that α-MnO 2 /ZSM-5 achieved superior removal efficiencies (93% acetone, 96% toluene), attributed to the higher density of oxygen vacancies and lower Mn oxidation states facilitated by ZSM-5. Operational parameters such as relative humidity and temperature were also evaluated, demonstrating enhanced catalyst stability and performance in humid conditions. α-MnO 2 /ZSM-5 exhibited minimal deactivation (<5%) after 10 cycles, highlighting its potential for sustainable air purification applications. • The role of inert and semiconductor supports in the catalytic activity and stability of α-MnO 2 for VOC removal is explored. • The effect of operational parameters for the removal of polar and non-polar VOCs is investigated. • α-MnO 2 /ZSM-5 shows 96% toluene and 93% acetone removal, outperforming α-MnO 2 /SiO 2 and pure α-MnO 2 . • The acidity of ZSM-5 contributes to better Mn stabilization compared to the neutral SiO 2 support. • Higher Brønsted and Lewis acidity of ZSM-5 promotes effective redox cycling in VOC oxidation.