Leaf-like Co-ZIF-L derivatives embedded on Co2AlO4/Ni foam from hydrotalcites as monolithic catalysts for toluene abatement

[Display omitted] •This work achieved a miniaturized application of powder zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) derivatives.•Leaf-like Co-ZIF-L derivatives were embedded on Co2AlO4 coral-like microspheres.•The derivative derived from Co2AlO4@Co-Co LDHs presented a highest catalytic performance for toluene abatement. Herein, a series of distinctively monolithic catalysts were first synthesized by decorating leaf-like Co-ZIF-L derivatives on Co2AlO4 coral-like microspheres from CoAl layered double hydroxides (LDHs), which were coated on three-dimensional porous Ni foam. As a proof of concept application, toluene was chosen as a probe molecule to evaluate their catalytic performances over the as-synthesized catalysts. As a result, the L-12 sample derived from Co2AlO4@Co-Co LDHs displayed an excellent catalytic performance, cycling stability and long-term stability for toluene oxidation (T99 = 272 °C, 33 °C lower than that of Co2AlO4 sample), where leaf-like Co-ZIF-L served as a sacrificial template to synthesize Co-Co LDHs. The improved catalytic performance was attributed to its distinctive structure, in which leaf-like Co-ZIF-L derivatives on Co2AlO4 resulted in its higher specific surface area, lower-temperature reducibility, rich surface oxygen vacancy and high valence Co3+ species. This work thus demonstrates a feasible strategy for the design and fabrication of hybrid LDHs/ZIFs-derived composite architectures, which is expected to construct other novel monolithic catalysts with hierarchical structures for other potential applications.