Ultrathin LayCoOx Nanosheets with High Porosity Featuring Boosted Catalytic Oxidation of Benzene: Mechanism Elucidation via an Experiment-Theory Combined Paradigm.

Designing transition-metal oxides for catalytically removing the highly toxic benzene holds significance in addressing indoor/outdoor environmental pollution issues. Herein, we successfully synthesized ultrathin LayCoOx nanosheets (thickness of ∼1.8 nm) with high porosity, using a straightforward coprecipitation method. Comprehensive characterization techniques were employed to analyze the synthesized LayCoOx catalysts, revealing their low crystallinity, high surface area, and abundant porosity. Catalytic benzene oxidation tests demonstrated that the La0.029CoOx-300 nanosheet exhibited the most optimal performance. This catalyst enabled complete benzene degradation at a relatively low temperature of 220 °C, even under a high space velocity (SV) of 20,000 h-1, and displayed remarkable durability throughout various catalytic assessments, including SV variations, exposure to water vapor, recycling, and long time-on-stream tests. Characterization analyses confirmed the enhanced interactions between Co and doped La, the presence of abundant adsorbed oxygen, and the extensive exposure of Co3+ species in La0.029CoOx-300 nanosheets. Theoretical calculations further revealed that La doping was beneficial for the formation of oxygen vacancies and the adsorption of more hydroxyl groups. These features strongly promoted the adsorption and activation of oxygen, thereby accelerating the benzene oxidation processes. This work underscores the advantages of doping rare-earth elements into transition-metal oxides as a cost-effective yet efficient strategy for purifying industrial exhausts.