Preparation of Mn-Ce double-doped MCM-41 and its adsorption catalytic performance on benzene VOCs

Abstract

In recent years, with the rapid development of industry and transportation, the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) has significantly increased, with benzene compounds becoming the primary pollutant due to their high toxicity and concentration. This has led to an urgent need for effective control of benzene pollution. In this study, we prepared Ce/Mn@MCM-41, which exhibited a larger specific surface area and more adsorption sites than MCM-41, addressing the limitations of MCM-41 in VOC adsorption and catalysis. During catalytic oxidation experiments, Ce/Mn@MCM-41 demonstrated excellent performance for five benzene VOCs. Specifically, the catalytic oxidation temperatures (T₁₀ and T₉₀) for toluene were between 281 ∼ 324 °C and 396 ∼ 497 °C, respectively, with catalytic efficiency reaching 99 % after 12 h. In adsorption tests, the capacities for benzene, toluene, chlorobenzene, ethylbenzene, and xylene were 87.35, 286.64, 619.09, 558.02, and 762.92 mg·g⁻¹, respectively. The adsorption process followed a specific model, emphasizing the role of multilayer adsorption and mesoporous structure. The Ce and Mn loading increased adsorption sites. In conclusion, Ce/Mn@MCM-41 composites exhibited high removal efficiency for benzene VOCs, offering a promising solution for industrial exhaust gas purification and environmental protection.