Room-temperature cataluminescence from CO oxidation in a non-thermal plasma-assisted catalysis system

Cataluminescence (CTL) is a kind of chemiluminescence during catalytic reaction on surface of catalysts under a heated condition. Due to the low catalytic reactivity of CO, normally low intensity of CTL is obtained during heterogeneously catalytic oxidation of CO under heated conditions (normally higher than 150°C), even catalyzed by precious-metal-based catalysts. Therefore, seeking enhanced CTL of CO at room temperature and using low-cost catalysts becomes significant. Here, CTL generated from CO oxidation was firstly reported at room temperature, which was carried out in a non-thermal plasma-assisted (NTPA) catalysis system. With air acting as discharge gas, carrier gas as well as oxidant, a Mn/SiO2 nanomaterials-based NTPA catalysis system was fabricated for CO catalytic oxidation at room temperature, whose temperature was much lower than previous CTL methods. Relatively high and selective CTL responses were acquired during CO oxidation on surface of Mn/SiO2 nanomaterials, whereas no significant CTL signal was recorded without plasma assistance or on other metals-doped SiO2 catalysts. Without any excitation light source or heating element, a low cost and simple CO sensor was fabricated by using common and easily synthesized catalysts. The present work has greatly simplified the constructions, and enlarged CTL applications.