Superior Benzene Catalytic Oxidation over Co₃O₄ Catalysts with Oxygen Vacancy-Rich Co Sites

Exposing the catalytically active sites with rich defects of active metals is a key strategy for enhancing the performance in benzene catalytic oxidation reactions. In this study, we investigated the catalytic oxidation of benzene using Co₃O₄ catalysts with oxygen vacancy-rich active sites, prepared via calcination at various temperatures. The Co-350 catalyst delivers a T90 value of 257 °C together with a reaction rate of 5.42 × 10^-7 mol·g^-1·h^-1, demonstrating outstanding catalytic oxidation activity. DFT calculations, when combined with experimental data, have been shown to effectively elucidate reaction mechanisms and predict catalyst properties, as evidenced by recent studies. Oxygen vacancies enhance benzene and oxygen adsorption, while water vapor inhibits benzene adsorption and promotes CO₂ desorption. This study offers insights into the development of water-resistant catalysts, which are crucial for enhancing the efficiency of volatile organic compound oxidation processes.