Decomposition of ozone on Ag/SiO2 catalyst for abatement of waste gases emissions

A silica-supported Ag system made by the incipient wetness impregnation method was investigated in the reaction of heterogeneous catalytic decomposition of ozone. It was established that the catalytic ozone decomposition on Ag/SiO2 proceeded in the temperature interval −40 °C to 25 °C as a first order reaction with activation energy of 65 kJ/mol (pre-exponential factor 5.0 × 1014 s−1). Based on the results from the instrumental methods (SEM, XRD, XPS, EPR, TPD) it can be concluded that in presence of ozone the silver is oxidized to a complicated mixture of Ag2O3 and AgO. Due to the high activity and stability of the Ag/SiO2 catalyst, it is promising for neutralization of waste gases containing ozone.