A novel 3D printed technology to construct a monolithic ultrathin nanosheets Co3O4/SiO2 catalyst for benzene catalytic combustion

In this study, a novel three-dimensional (3D)-OMm-Co3O4/SiO2-0.5AP (OMm = ordered macro-meso porous, AP = aluminum phosphate) monolithic catalyst was for the first time constructed successfully with the hierarchical Co-phyllosilicate ultrathin nanosheets growth on the surface of 3D printed ordered macropore-mesoporous SiO2 support. On the one hand, we discovered that the construction of ordered macropore-mesoporous structures is beneficial to the diffusion and adsorption of reactants, intermediates, and products. On the other hand, the formation of hierarchical Co-phyllosilicate ultrathin nanosheets could provide more active Co&+ species, abundant acid sites, and active oxygen. The above factors are in favor of improving the catalytic performance of benzene oxidation, and then a 3D-OMm-Co3O4/SiO2-0.5AP catalyst exhibited the superior catalytic activity. To explore the effect of catalysts structure and morphology, various Co-based catalysts were also constructed. Simultaneously, the 3D-OMm-Co3O4/SiO2-0.5AP catalyst has excellent catalytic performance, water resistance, and thermal stability in the catalytic combustion of benzene due to the strong interactions between Co&+ species and SiO2 in the phyllosilicate. Therefore, this study proposes a new catalyst synthesis method through 3D printing, and presents considerable prospects for the removal of VOCs from industrial applications.

Automated summary

In this study, a novel 3D-OMm-Co3O4/SiO2-0.5AP monolithic catalyst was successfully constructed using 3D printing technique. The ordered macropore-mesoporous structure of the catalyst improves the diffusion and adsorption of reactants, while the hierarchical Co-phyllosilicate ultrathin nanosheets provide more active species and acid sites, leading to superior catalytic activity in benzene oxidation.