Rapid synthesis of novel flowerlike K0.46Mn2O4(H2O)1.4 hierarchical architectures and their catalytic degradation of formaldehyde in aqueous solution

Novel flower-like birnessite type manganese oxide hierarchical architectures were hydrothermally synthesized from KMnO4 solution using sodium fluorite as a reductant in sulfuric acid medium at low temperature. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and X-ray photoelectron (XPS) spectroscopes confirm that the composition of the as-fabricated product. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), selected area electron diffraction (SA-ED), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) and N-2 adsorption-desorption isotherm reveal that the as-synthesized sample exhibits a microsized flower-like crystal with dense nanoleaves standing on their surfaces, polycrystalline, monoclinic phase structure and high BET surface area. On the basis of time-dependent experimental results, a possible mechanism for the formation of flowerlike structures is speculated. Their capability of catalytic degradation of formaldehyde solution with oxygen air bubbles were studied by using an acetylacetone calorimetric spectra, total organic carbon (TOC) method and turnover number (TON). In addition, the birnessite nanoflower is stable during the reaction and can be used repeatedly. (C) 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.