Advances in Room-Temperature Catalytic Ozone Decomposition: Mechanisms, Catalysts, and Future Challenges

Ozone (O₃) is a powerful oxidant and a significant atmospheric pollutant that poses serious risks to human health and the environment. Various technologies such as activated carbon filtration, solution adsorption, and catalytic decomposition have been employed to mitigate ozone pollution. Among these, room-temperature catalytic ozone decomposition has gained attention due to its high efficiency, low energy requirements, and the absence of harmful by-products. This review comprehensively summarizes the recent progress in ozone decomposition catalysts, categorizing and evaluating their properties and mechanisms of action. The discussion also includes the catalytic degradation and deactivation mechanisms, with proposed synergistic processes for the simultaneous removal of ozone and volatile organic compounds, and the mechanism for catalytic ozonation for wastewater treatment. Additionally, primary pathways for catalyst deactivation are identified along with protocols for catalyst reactivation. Finally, this review addresses the challenges of catalytic ozone decomposition and offers recommendations for future catalyst designs to improve performance and durability.