Enhancement of VOCs degradation capability by the plasma-induced TiO2 with rich oxygen vacancies

Defect engineering, particularly through the introduction of oxygen vacancies (OVs), significantly enhances the catalytic activity and holds great promise for environmental remediation and energy conversion. In this study, we investigated the photocatalytic degradation performance of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) using defect-rich TiO2 catalysts synthesized via plasma treatment. We demonstrate that the plasma treatment precisely controls the OVs’ density and distribution. These OVs have dual functions: as electron-trapping centers and regulators of the catalyst surface energy levels. Furthermore, in situ infrared analysis uncovered the mechanism responsible for the promotion of toluene conversion by acetone during co-catalytic degradation. This study provides guidance for the development of efficient photocatalysts for the degradation of multicomponent VOCs.