Enhanced Low‐Temperature Ozone‐Assisted Catalytic Oxidation of Propane Over Cu–Mn Bimetallic Oxides

ABSTRACT Ozone‐assisted catalytic oxidation (OzCO) has emerged as a promising alternative to conventional catalytic oxidation (CCO) for the elimination of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), offering efficient conversion at lower temperatures. In this work, a series of monometallic (Cu/HAP, Mn/HAP) and bimetallic (Cu z Mn/HAP, z = 0.5, 1, 2) catalysts were synthesized by wet impregnation using hydroxyapatite (HAP) as support and systematically evaluated for propane (C 3 H 8 ) OzCO. Comprehensive physicochemical characterization demonstrated that Cu–Mn interactions improved metal dispersion, reducibility, oxygen mobility, and the concentration of surface‐adsorbed oxygen species. Mn/HAP exhibited the highest C 3 H 8 conversion, whereas Cu/HAP showed the greatest CO 2 selectivity. The bimetallic catalysts displayed clear synergistic effects, with Cu 1 Mn/HAP achieving the optimal balance between C 3 H 8 conversion and CO 2 selectivity. Mechanistically, MnO x species facilitated O 3 decomposition to generate active oxygen species, while CuO x species rather enhanced the further oxidation of CO into CO 2 . The Cu 1 Mn/HAP catalyst exhibited optimal performance at intermediate space times and temperatures, high O 3 partial pressures, and low C 3 H 8 partial pressures. Water vapor inhibited C 3 H 8 conversion at 80°C but enhanced CO 2 selectivity, with the effect being reversible and less pronounced at higher temperatures. Overall, Cu 1 Mn/HAP demonstrated robust performance, highlighting its potential as an efficient catalyst for low‐temperature C 3 H 8 OzCO.