The current status of research on the catalytic oxidation of formaldehyde

Formaldehyde (HCHO), which is one of the common pollutants in indoor environment and industrial processes, can cause adverse effects on human health. The thermal catalytic oxidation technology is regarded as the most promising approach due to its easy handling and environmental friendliness. This article reviews the current status of the catalytic oxidation of HCHO over noble metal and transition metal oxide catalysts. The general feature and the reaction mechanism of the catalytic oxidation of HCHO are summarized first. Based on the discussion of the reaction mechanism, the influence of some factors (catalyst preparation process, catalyst support, promoter and morphology) on the activity of the catalyst have been addressed. The structure of the catalysts has been elucidated and correlated with the reaction mechanism as well as the catalytic performance. Finally, the perspectives for the catalytic oxidation of HCHO in future research are presented. Hopefully, this review can shed light on the design of more active catalysts for HCHO oxidation to realize their practical application.