Removing aromatic and oxygenated VOCs from polluted air stream using Pt-carbon aerogels: Assessment of their performance as adsorbents and combustion catalysts

► The method of synthesis determines the characteristics of Pt-carbon aerogels. ► The mesopore volume favours the VOC adsorption at room temperature, but adsorption capacity is controlled by the micropore volume as a function of temperature. ► Aromatic VOCs are adsorbed on hydrophobic and narrow micropores generated at high carbonization temperature, while oxygenated VOCs are adsorbed better on carbonized at low temperature. ► With increasing temperature, the catalytic combustion is favoured regarding adsorption; nevertheless, VOCs are accumulated on the carbon surface previous to the combustion, leading to oscillations on the conversion values. This depends on the interaction between both phases. Catalysts are selective, no coke, CO or intermediate VOCs were detected. ► The catalyzed combustion of acetone takes place at higher temperature that the combustion of aromatic VOC's ► The catalytic performance strongly decays below 5% O2 in the stream.