Catalytic degradation of ethyl acetate at room temperature over Ni/NAC monolithic catalyst

Ethyl acetate, a typical oxygen-containing volatile organic compounds (OVOCs) pollutant with a pungent odor and low toxicity, is still a great challenge to catalyze degradation at room temperature. Here, nitrogen-doped activated carbon loading Ni monolithic catalysts prepared by the one-pot impregnation method at an annealing temperature of 900 degrees C (Ni/NAC-900) achieves the 95% removal of ethyl acetate and 67.15 % CO2 selectivity within 58.5 hat 25 degrees C. The result of XRD proves the monolithic catalysts contains Ni single atoms and Ni NPs, of which the Ni single atoms accounts for 92 % of the total Ni elements. The XAFs characterization results shows that the active site structure of Ni single atoms is NiN4C2 coordination structure. Hydroxyl radicals (& sdot;OH) converted by O2 and H2O in the air on the atomically dispersed NiN4C2 catalytic centers results in the breakage of the C-O bond and C-C bond, which eventually causes the oxidation of ethyl acetate to CO2 and H2O. The findings provide fresh insights into the degradation of ethyl acetate with high efficiency, low consumption and in a safe manner.