Enhanced catalytic ozonation towards oxalic acid degradation over novel copper doped manganese oxide octahedral molecular sieves nanorods.

•Cu-OMSx-T nanorods were prepared by the hydrothermal-calcination method.•First report on Cu incorporated into OMS-2 as highly efficient ozonation catalysts.•Cu-OMS0.5-140 exhibited the highest catalytic activity, stability and reusability.•Cu incorporation promoted the formation of multivalent metals and oxygen vacancies.•The plausible generation mechanism of ⋅OH and O2⋅-was elucidated.