Metal organic frameworks for gas-phase VOCs removal in a NTP-catalytic reactor

•MIL-101, MIL-53 and CPM-5 were used for VOCs removal in a NTP-catalytic reactor.•High isobutanol and toluene removal efficiency were obtained over all catalysts in dry air.•MIL-53 showed the best adsorption capacity in humid air.•MIL-101 and MIL-53 demonstrated almost the same oxidation performance.•FTIR spectroscopy of fresh and regenerated catalysts showed no significant structural change.

In this study, three different metal organic frameworks, MIL-101, MIL-53, and CPM-5, are used as dual functional adsorbent/catalysts in a non-thermal plasma (NTP)-catalytic reactor. The adsorption and oxidation evaluations of these MOFs for the removal of one (1) ppm toluene and isobutanol are performed at both dry (RH = 0%) and humid (RH = 30%) conditions. Results show that at dry air condition, MIL-101 possesses the highest adsorption capacity; however, at 30% RH, MIL-53 capacity surpasses MIL-101 and CPM-5. The results of NTP-catalytic oxidation reactions demonstrate a high removal efficiency of isobutanol (100%) and toluene (∼90%) for all three MOFs at dry air condition. At 30% humidity, on the other hand, the catalysts removal performance decreases. During the NTP-oxidation reaction different organic compounds and ozone are detected as by-products. Finally, FTIR spectroscopy of fresh and regenerated catalysts (MIL-101, MIL-53 and CPM-5) does not show a significant structural change.

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