Porous Metal Oxide Adsorbents and Catalysts for Air Chemical and Odor Capture and Degradation
Custom-designed porous metal oxide materials for capturing and degrading harmful chemicals and odors in air. Uses adsorption, thermal, photochemical, and plasma-based methods to destroy contaminants such as halogenated hydrocarbons. Tunable compositions with monomodal pore size distributions matched to target species for indoor air quality and industrial emission applications.
Overview
This solution offers custom-designed porous metal oxide adsorbents and catalysts for capturing and degrading harmful chemicals and odors in indoor and industrial air streams. Contaminants such as halogenated hydrocarbons and other volatile species can be adsorbed onto tailored porous materials and then destroyed through thermal, photochemical, or plasma-driven reactions, converting them into harmless products. The approach combines adsorption with in situ generation of reactive oxygen species to break down target chemicals, offering a versatile platform for improving air quality across multiple environments.
Technical specifications
Key features:
- Microporous and mesoporous metal oxide architectures with excellent crystallinity and long-term stability
- Monomodal, sharp pore size distributions engineered to match the kinetic diameters of specific target contaminants
- Multiple tunable compositions allowing optimization of activity, selectivity, and resistance to aging
- Complementary degradation pathways including thermal oxidation, photochemical reactions, and plasma-based gas-phase reactions
- Reactive oxygen species generated in situ to enhance degradation efficiency
- Modeling studies conducted upfront to understand surface-contaminant interactions and guide material design
Technology readiness level
The underlying science has been validated through published research, issued patents, and conference presentations. The team has demonstrated adsorption and degradation of halogenated hydrocarbons and other harmful chemicals using thermal, photochemical, and plasma methods. Future work involves sponsor-specific design of adsorbents and catalysts, beginning with a thorough literature search, collaborative proposal development vetted by the sponsor, and engagement of industrial research partners to guide and execute the project. The approach is ready for sponsored collaborative development tailored to specific contaminant profiles identified by an industry partner.
About University of Connecticut
UConn is a comprehensive public research university and the state’s flagship, with its main campus in Storrs and an academic medical center in Farmington. Industry engages through UConn Tech Park—anchored by the Innovation Partnership Building—with shared labs, pilot‑scale testbeds, and advanced prototyping for collaborators. Integration with UConn Health enables clinical collaborations and translation, while Hartford and Stamford campuses connect companies to talent along the New York–Boston corridor; a statewide extension network supports technology adoption. Research is supported by competitive federal funding from agencies such as NIH, NSF, DOE, USDA, and DOD. A dedicated technology commercialization office and the Technology Incubation Program support IP, licensing, and startup incubation across multiple sites.
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