Microenvironment Regulation in Zeolite-Based Catalysts for Selective Oxidation of Aromatic VOCs

Abstract

Aromatic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) pose significant environmental and public health risks due to their toxicity, carcinogenicity, and role as precursors of hazardous secondary pollutants. Zeolite-based metal catalysts, with their well-defined microporous structures, tunable acidity, and high thermal stability, have shown promise in the catalytic oxidation of aromatic VOCs. However, the influence of the zeolite microenvironment on supported metal active sites remains insufficiently understood, limiting the rational design of advanced catalysts. This review highlights how microenvironmental parameters—including pore architecture, acid site distribution, framework composition, and surface/interface engineering—can be modulated to enhance adsorption, oxygen activation, and metal–support interactions. Advances in hierarchical porosity, heteroatom substitution, and surface hydrophobicity are discussed. This review provides a framework for the development of next-generation zeolite-based catalysts and offers strategic guidance for advancing microenvironment-controlled catalysis in sustainable environmental remediation.