Transition metal doped zeolite as acid/base catalyst for efficient ozone decomposition

Ozone is a major air pollutant at ground level that have detrimental effects on human health and the environment. Catalytic removal of ozone has proven to be the most efficient method. However, its practical application faces substantial challenges, particularly its long-term effectiveness and humidity resistance. Herein, a series of transition metal-doped zeolite catalysts were successfully prepared by the impregnation method for catalytic ozone decomposition. The obtained Co-4A-0.07 catalyst achieving 90% ozone decomposition efficiency over 55 h under a flow rate of 1.4 L⋅min^-1 and high-humidity stability, outperforming the Mn, Cu-doped zeolite and Co₃O₄. The outstanding catalytic performance of Co-4A-0.07 can be attributed to its abundant acid-base sites, which enhanced the capture of ozone, and facilitated the electron transfer within the reaction system, thereby accelerating the catalytic decomposition of ozone. This work offers new perspectives on the rational design of acid-base sites in catalysts to enable efficient ozone decomposition.