Single Fe atom-anchored manganese dioxide for efficient removal of volatile organic compounds in refrigerator

The efficient and rapid removal of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) holds significant importance for ensuring food quality and human health, particularly within the low-temperature confined spaces in refrigerators. However, achieving effective VOCs degradation under such conditions poses challenges in terms of activating inert bonds and facilitating mass transfer. In this study, we propose a novel solution by designing a cleaner module that incorporates 1.07% single Fe atom-anchored manganese dioxide catalysts (FeSAs-MnO₂). The combination of single Fe atoms and defect-rich MnO₂ substrate efficiently activates molecular oxygen, leading to enhanced generation of highly reactive oxygen species (ROS). Non-thermal plasma (NTP) and circulating fan are introduced to facilitate the regeneration of catalytic activity and improve mass transfer. The FeSAs-MnO₂ cleaner module demonstrates exceptional performance in trimethylamine (TMA) removal, achieving a conversion efficiency of 98.9% for 9 ppm within just 9 min. Furthermore, accelerated aging tests predict an extended service life of up to 45 years for the FeSAs-MnO₂ cleaner module, surpassing the expected lifespan of refrigerators significantly.