Ozone-assisted oxidation of methyl ethyl ketone over mesoporous MnOx/γ-Al2O3 catalysts

Abstract Mesoporous MnOx/γ-Al2O3 (MA) catalysts were synthesized using two different manganese precursors (acetate and nitrate forms) to remove methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) via ozonation at room temperature. The MA catalyst prepared with the acetate precursor (MA-A) showed higher catalytic performance in the decomposition of MEK and ozone compared with the MA catalyst prepared with the nitrate precursor. Based on the N2 physisorption and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, the superior activity of MA-A could be attributed to its large surface area and pore volume, as well as the increased dispersion of MnOx particles. In addition, an appropriate strength of surface acid sites and a higher ratio of active Mn3+/Mn4+ on MA-A resulted in the improved activity.