Efficient elimination of formaldehyde over Pt/Fe3O4 catalyst at room temperature

Abstract Formaldehyde (HCHO) is a harmful carcinogen to human health. HCHO elimination is therefore a great significance for health safety. Room temperature HCHO catalytic oxidation is the most promising way for HCHO elimination. In this study, we developed Pt/Fe3O4 catalyst by co-precipitation and hydrogen reduction method for HCHO elimination at room temperature. Characterizations of XRD and TEM revealed that Pt nanoparticles with size as small as 1.5 nm were highly dispersed on surface of support, H2-TPR and XPS suggested that Pt-support interaction was significant promoted and oxygen vacancy was richly formed in the Pt/Fe3O4 catalyst. The catalyst exhibited 100% HCHO conversion at 1 ppm HCHO/air at space velocity of 150 L/(gh), and displayed 70% conversion at 100 ppm HCHO/air at higher space velocity of 600 L/(gh) at room temperature. The efficient performances were originated from the tiny size of Pt nanoparticles and the strong metal-support interaction between Pt and Fe3O4. Infrared spectroscopy found that formate species were intermediates in the oxidation process, which decomposed to water and carbon dioxide at interface of Pt/Fe3O4 catalyst.