Highly Active Mesoporous Ferrihydrite Supported Pt Catalyst for Formaldehyde Removal at Room Temperature

Ferrihydrite (Fh) supported Pt (Pt/Fh) catalyst was first prepared by combining microemulsion and NaBH4 reduction methods and investigated for room-temperature removal of formaldehyde (HCHO). It was found that the order of addition of Pt precursor and ferrihydrite in the preparation process has an important effect on the microstructure and performance of the catalyst. Pt/Fh was shown to be an efficient catalyst for complete oxidation of HCHO at room temperature, featuring higher activity than magnetite supported Pt (Pt/Fe3O4). Pt/Fh and Pt/Fe3O4 exhibited much higher catalytic activity than Pt supported over calcined Fh and TiO2. The abundance of surface hydroxyls, high Pt dispersion and excellent adsorption performance of Fh are responsible for superior catalytic activity and stability of the Pt/Fh catalyst. This work provides some indications into the design and fabrication of the cost-effective and environmentally benign catalysts with excellent adsorption and catalytic oxidation performances for HCHO removal at room temperature.