What are the Application Scenarios and Value of Ozone Decomposition Catalysts?

The application scenarios of ozone decomposition catalysts revolve around two core aspects: "controlling ozone generation at the source" and "purifying already generated ozone," widely covering multiple fields such as industrial production, environmental protection, and public services.  Specifically, they can be divided into the following categories:

In the field of industrial production, printing, rubber vulcanization, semiconductor manufacturing, and chemical synthesis are key application scenarios. In the printing industry, ultraviolet curing processes generate a large amount of ozone when ultraviolet light irradiates oxygen; during rubber vulcanization, the decomposition of vulcanizing agents and high-temperature reactions are accompanied by ozone generation; and the plasma etching process in semiconductor manufacturing also releases high concentrations of ozone. If the ozone generated by these industries is directly discharged, it will corrode production equipment, affect product quality, and pollute the factory area and surrounding environment. Ozone decomposition catalysts can be used for waste gas pretreatment or end-of-pipe purification.

Environmental protection and air purification also rely heavily on this catalyst. In indoor air purification, some air purifiers and disinfection cabinets produce small amounts of ozone during use due to ultraviolet sterilization or high-voltage ionization. Excessive ozone can irritate the human respiratory tract, requiring a catalyst to decompose it into harmless oxygen. In outdoor atmospheric treatment, mobile and fixed purification stations targeting areas with severe ozone pollution also utilize high-efficiency ozone decomposition catalysts to help reduce local ozone concentrations.

Furthermore, these catalysts are also used in the medical and water treatment fields. In the medical industry, ozone disinfection technology is commonly used for sterilizing operating rooms and medical equipment. However, residual ozone after disinfection needs to be promptly treated to protect the health of medical personnel and patients. Catalysts can quickly decompose residual ozone in confined spaces. In the water treatment field, when ozone oxidation is used to remove organic matter and disinfect water, unreacted ozone in the effluent can affect water quality stability. Treatment with a catalyst can achieve deep decomposition of ozone, avoiding secondary pollution.

The catalytic principle of ozone decomposition catalysts is mainly based on catalytic decomposition reactions. The core process involves activating ozone molecules through active sites on the catalyst surface, promoting their decomposition into harmless oxygen. Specifically, when ozone-containing gas or water comes into contact with the catalyst surface, ozone molecules are adsorbed and activated by the active components on the catalyst surface (such as manganese-based, cobalt-based, platinum-palladium, and other metal oxides or precious metals). The chemical bonds of the activated ozone molecules break, ultimately decomposing into two oxygen atoms and combining to form oxygen molecules.

Unlike organic waste gas purification, ozone decomposition reactions mostly occur at room temperature and pressure, without requiring significant energy consumption. However, the reaction efficiency is greatly affected by environmental factors. For example, high humidity can occupy the active sites of the catalyst, reducing adsorption and activation capacity; dust and sulfides in the air can lead to catalyst poisoning and deactivation; and the reaction rate decreases significantly at low temperatures. Therefore, selecting a suitable catalyst type based on the temperature, humidity, and impurity composition of the application scenario is crucial to ensuring purification efficiency. A large printing company's ozone treatment project utilizes a UV curing process to produce packaging materials. Each production line generates approximately 8000 cubic meters of ozone-containing exhaust gas daily, with ozone concentrations reaching 0.8-1.2 mg/m³, far exceeding the limit of 0.3 mg/m³ specified in the "Emission Standard for Odorous Pollutants." This not only corrodes workshop equipment but also leads to complaints from surrounding residents. To address this problem, the company adopted an ozone decomposition catalyst for end-of-pipe purification. The specific implementation plan is as follows:

Catalyst Selection: Considering the characteristics of printing exhaust gas containing small amounts of volatile organic compounds and dust, a honeycomb-shaped supported manganese-copper composite oxide catalyst was selected. This catalyst not only has high ozone decomposition activity but also possesses a certain degree of resistance to dust clogging and organic compound poisoning, making it suitable for the complex exhaust gas conditions in the workshop.

Process Conditions: Since the catalyst is effective at room temperature and requires no additional heating, only a pre-filter device is needed in the exhaust gas treatment equipment to remove dust. The exhaust gas flow rate is controlled at 1.5 m/s to ensure that the contact time between ozone and the catalyst is at least 0.4 seconds, guaranteeing sufficient decomposition.

Installation and Maintenance: The catalyst module is installed in the purification tower at the end of the production line's exhaust gas collection pipeline, using a drawer-type structure for easy replacement. A regular maintenance system is established, with the pre-filter cleaned every 3 months and the catalyst activity tested every 6 months. When the decomposition efficiency falls below 85%, regeneration or replacement is performed.

Effectiveness Evaluation: After the project was put into operation, third-party testing showed that the ozone concentration in the exhaust gas was reduced to below 0.15 mg/m³, and the purification efficiency remained stable at over 90%, fully meeting the emission standards. The equipment's energy consumption is only 15% of that of traditional heating-type treatment equipment, saving approximately 120,000 yuan in electricity costs annually, and the catalyst has a service life of 18 months, resulting in low operating and maintenance costs.

Ozone decomposition catalysts, as a key technology for specifically addressing ozone pollution, demonstrate irreplaceable application value in various fields, including industrial production, environmental purification, and medical water treatment. Their characteristic of catalytic decomposition at room temperature not only reduces treatment energy consumption but also broadens the range of applicable scenarios. By selecting appropriate catalyst types and process parameters based on the specific operating conditions of different scenarios, efficient ozone purification can be achieved, balancing both environmental and economic benefits. In the future, with continuous breakthroughs in catalyst material research, their resistance to poisoning, service life, and purification efficiency will be further improved, enabling them to play a purification role in a wider range of applications.

Author: Hazel
Date: 2025-12-01