Co-based spinel and perovskite oxides in catalytic combustion of volatile organic compounds: Recent advances and future prospects

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are major contributors to air pollution, posing significant health risks and environmental hazards. The urgent need to mitigate VOCs emissions has led to extensive research into effective abatement strategies. Catalytic oxidation emerges as a leading technology for VOCs due to its efficiency. Over recent years, substantial advancements have been achieved in the development of catalysts for this purpose. Spinel and perovskite cobalt oxide (Co-based oxide) catalysts stand out due to their cost-effectiveness, high efficiency, and robust stability, making them prime candidates for VOCs abatement. This review delves into the progress made in the catalytic combustion of VOCs using Co-based oxide catalysts. It comprehensively summarizes single Co-based oxides with varied structures, morphologies, and crystal facets. Additionally, enhancement strategies such as A- and B-site substitutions, support modifications, defect engineering, and surface treatments are systematically explored. The discussion extends to Co-based catalysts for practical VOCs elimination applications. Furthermore, this review provides a detailed analysis of the pertinent reaction mechanisms. Finally, the current achievements and future development directions, including electron structure tuning and ML-assistant catalyst design are put forward.