Layered Double Oxides for VOC Degradation in Nonthermal Plasma: Composition and Structural Effect

The ever-increasing emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from industrial activities pose significant environmental and health risks. Nonthermal plasma (NTP) degradation technology has emerged as a prominent method for VOC degradation due to the mild reaction conditions but demands an efficient catalyst for high product conversion. This study presents a mesoporous layered NiFe double silicate catalyst fabricated by the reaction between 13X zeolite and layered double hydroxides (LDHs). Under NTP conditions, the catalysts achieved a 90% ethyl acetate conversion with a CO2 selectivity of 45%, maintaining stability over 400 min. The performance demonstrates synergy in adsorption and offers more active catalytic sites on the in situ-generated layered NiFe double silicate over zeolite catalyst. Simulation results also suggested that the two-dimensional sheet structure effectively localizes the electric field on the zeolite surface and therefore may facilitate the generation of active species with plasma and ethyl acetate adsorption. This work provides a pathway for the design of highly efficient and stable catalysts for NTP applications.