Hydrophobicity SiO2 Nanofibers Enhanced Water Resistance in Complete Toluene Oxidation

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) threaten both human health and the environment. Catalytic oxidation is an effective purification method, yet its efficiency is often compromised by water vapor present in industrial exhausts. To address the persistent issues of active site deactivation and restricted mass transfer under humid conditions, a hierarchical SiO 2 NF@MnO 2 catalyst was fabricated via combined electrospinning and hydrothermal synthesis. The hydrophobic SiO 2 nanofibers, with surface hydroxyl density tuned by calcination, effectively suppressed water adsorption, while the in situ-grown ultrathin MnO 2 nanosheets (<7 nm) provided abundant edge-active sites for toluene activation. Water resistance tests confirmed the optimized competitive adsorption between water and toluene on SiO 2 NF500@MnO 2 , sustaining over 73% toluene conversion at 230°C under 5 vol% H 2 O for 50 h. This work provides a design paradigm for water-resistant VOCs catalysts and advances the rational design of robust environmental catalysts.