A Review on Catalytic Nanomaterials for Volatile Organic Compounds VOC Removal and Their Applications for Healthy Buildings

• Published in: Nanomaterials (Basel, Switzerland) Vol. 9; no. 6; p. 910
• Main Authors: Shah, Kwok Wei, Li, Wenxin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 23-06-2019; MDPI
• Subjects: Adsorption; Air filters; Air quality; Architecture; Building construction; Buildings; Carbon; Catalysts; Catalytic oxidation; Construction materials; Efficiency; green application; healthy buildings; Indoor air pollution; Indoor air quality; Indoor environments; Morphology; Nanomaterials; Nanotechnology; Organic chemistry; Organic compounds; Outdoor air quality; Oxides; Paints; Photocatalysis; photocatalytic reactor; Protective coatings; Review; Reviews; thermal oxidation; Titanium; Titanium dioxide; VOCs; VOCs removal; Volatile organic compounds; Zinc oxide; Singapore; healthy buildings; thermal oxidation; photocatalytic reactor; VOCs removal; catalytic oxidation; green application; nanomaterials; photocatalysis
• ISSN: 2079-4991; 2079-4991
• DOI: 10.3390/nano9060910

In order to improve the indoor air quality, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can be removed via an efficient approach by using catalysts. This review proposed a comprehensive summary of various nanomaterials for thermal/photo-catalytic removal of VOCs. These representative materials are mainly categorized as carbon-based and metallic oxides materials, and their morphologies, synthesis techniques, and performances have been explained in detail. To improve the indoor and outdoor air quality, the catalytic nanomaterials can be utilized for emerging building applications such as VOC-reduction coatings, paints, air filters, and construction materials. Due to the characteristics of low cost, non-toxic and high chemical stability, metallic oxides such as TiO
and ZnO have been widely investigated for decades and dominate the application market of VOC-removal catalyst in buildings. Since other catalysts also showed brilliant performance and have been theoretically researched, they can be potential candidates for applications in future healthy buildings. This review will contribute to further knowledge and greater potential applications of promising VOC-reducing catalytic nanomaterials on healthier buildings for a better indoor and outdoor environment well-being.