Polymer-Assisted Synthesis of Co₃O₄ Spinel Catalysts with Enhanced Surface Co²⁺ Ions for N₂O Decomposition

Nitrous oxide (N₂O) is a potent greenhouse gas with a global warming potential > 310 times that of CO₂. Owing to its rapid increase in atmospheric concentrations from industrial emissions, N₂O poses increasing environmental concerns. Among the various N₂O abatement technologies, catalytic decomposition can directly convert N₂O into harmless N₂ and O₂ without generating secondary pollutants. In this study, Co₃O₄ spinel catalysts were synthesized using a polymer-assisted precipitation method, using polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinylpyrrolidone, or polyethylene glycol (PEG) as N₂O decomposition catalysts. The PEG-mediated synthesis method yielded the most active catalyst with superior N₂O decomposition efficiency. Structural and surface analyses confirmed that PEG facilitated the formation of Co²⁺-enriched surface sites and abundant oxygen vacancies, which are crucial active sites for N₂O adsorption and activation. Moreover, these features improved the redox properties and electron transfer behavior of the resulting catalyst. In particular, the PEG-derived 5Co₃O₄/CeO₂ catalyst exhibited enhanced N₂O decomposition activity and stability even in the presence of coexisting N₂O and O₂, highlighting its potential for real-world applications. This study provides an effective synthetic route for Co₃O₄-based catalysts and potential opportunities for wide applications in industrial N₂O removal.