Investigating New Frontiers of Catalytic Ozonation for Air Pollution Control

空气污染控制是工业化国家面临的主要挑战之一。传统上，空气污染指的是室外空气污染。然而，人们现在花更多的时间在封闭的环境中，如住宅/商业建筑和商务办公室，使他们暴露在室内空气污染物中，导致病态建筑综合症（SBS）。本研究的重点是利用臭氧减轻室内和室外空气污染。臭氧是一种反应性分子，能够去除多种空气污染物。当被催化剂激活时，臭氧将有害的空气污染物氧化成无害的产品。拟议的研究将研究挥发性有机化合物（VOCs）氧化的新型催化系统，这是室内空气污染的主要来源。它还将研究从工业排放中去除室外空气污染物NO和NH3的创新解决方案。这项研究计划将产生新的材料和改进的技术过程，以减少空气污染。本研究的第一个目标是制备稳定的催化剂，可以在室温下将室内voc氧化为CO2而不失活。目前，可用的催化剂由于反应中间体在其表面的积累而失活。金属有机框架（MOFs）和核壳结构是一种新的材料家族，可以设计具有定制性能的催化剂。基于二氧化硅壳和含有in， Fe和Cr的mof的Mn， Ag， Pt和Pd的活性和稳定的催化剂将被开发出来。这些工程材料将通过有效接触voc和臭氧来实现理想的性能，从而阻止催化剂的失活。这项研究的结果将有助于开发室内空气净化装置，消除与SBS有关的健康问题，使加拿大人受益。本研究的第二个目标是开发用于选择性臭氧化NO以产生NO2和N2O5的催化剂，以提高选择性催化还原（SCR）反应器和湿式洗涤器去除烟气中NOx （NO和NO2的混合物）的效率。将测试基于锰氧化物的催化剂对NO的氧化作用。本研究的第三个目标是在常温下通过催化臭氧化选择性分解NH3生成N2。Pt, Ru, Cu, Fe， Mn和Ag催化剂将被测试以确定最活跃的金属。农业、发电、交通和石油等排放NH3和NOx的行业将从这项研究计划中受益匪浅。这项研究将导致催化剂的发展，更有效的优化工艺条件下，通过提高反应速率，将改善空气质量。高素质人才将在反应工程、催化和表面科学方面进行培训。拟议中的研究项目将改善加拿大人的空气质量。

Air pollution control is one of the major challenges of the industrialized world. Traditionally, air pollution referred to outdoor air pollution. However, people now spend more time in enclosed environments such as residential/commercial buildings and business offices that exposes them to indoor air pollutants, causing sick building syndrome (SBS). The focus of this research is to mitigate indoor and outdoor air pollution using ozone. Ozone is a reactive molecule which enables the removal of a wide range of air pollutants. When activated by catalysts, ozone oxidizes hazardous air pollutants to harmless products. The proposed research will investigate novel catalytic systems for the oxidation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are the main contributors to indoor air pollution. It will also study innovative solutions for the removal of two outdoor air pollutants, NO and NH3, from industrial emissions. This research program will yield new materials and enhanced technological processes to reduce air pollution. The first objective of this research is to formulate stable catalysts that can oxidize indoor VOCs to CO2 without deactivation at room temperature. Currently, available catalysts deactivate due to the accumulation of reaction intermediates on their surface. Metal organic frameworks (MOFs) and core-shell structures are new families of materials that allow designing catalysts with tailored properties. Active and stable catalysts will be developed based on Mn, Ag, Pt, and Pd confined in silica shells and MOFs containing In, Fe, and Cr. These engineered materials will make it possible to achieve desired properties to hinder the deactivation of catalysts by efficiently contacting VOCs and ozone. The findings of this research will help develop indoor air purifying units, benefitting Canadians by eliminating health problems related to SBS. The second objective of this research is to develop catalysts for selective ozonation of NO to produce NO2 and N2O5, to enhance the efficiency of selective catalytic reduction (SCR) reactors and wet scrubbers for the removal of NOx (mixture of NO and NO2) from flue gas. Catalysts based on manganese oxides will be tested for the oxidation of NO. The third objective of this research is to selectively decompose NH3 to produce N2 by catalytic ozonation near ambient temperatures. Pt, Ru, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Ag catalysts will be tested to identify the most active metals. NH3 and NOx emitting industries such as agriculture, power generation, transportation, and petroleum sectors will benefit significantly from this research program. This research will lead to the development of catalysts that are more efficient with optimized process conditions through increased reaction rates that will improve air quality. Highly qualified personnel will be trained in reaction engineering, catalysis, and surface science. The proposed research program will provide Canadians with improved air quality.