Pt catalysts supported on polybenzimidazole nanofibrous mats: Tailored electrospinning leading to different morphology and platinum dispersion. Application to VOC oxidation

The team from the Research Group of Catalysis and Reaction Engineering focused on developing new catalysts for the abatement of volatile organic compounds, which belong to the major air pollutants. The study, recently published in Catalysis Today, presents a unique use of polybenzimidazole nanofibers produced by electrospinning as a support for platinum nanoparticles.

Electrospinning enables the fabrication of highly porous nanofibrous materials whose structure can be tuned by the preparation method – whether from a solution, colloid, or suspension. The team demonstrated that these structural differences directly influence the size of platinum particles after impregnation of the support with the active component, which has a crucial impact on catalytic performance. In oxidation tests of model pollutants such as toluene, acetone, and ethanol, it was shown that even a small change in the average platinum nanoparticle size from 9 to 11 nm leads to a marked increase in catalytic activity. An important finding was that during catalytic experiments, the formation of so-called “hot spots” on the catalyst surface causes gradual sintering, i.e., coalescence of platinum nanoparticles, which paradoxically further enhances the oxidation efficiency.

The main advantage of the nanofibers is their extremely high porosity – up to 80% – which minimizes internal diffusion limitations and allows reactants easy access to the platinum active sites. Moreover, their low surface enables control over the size of the deposited platinum particles, making it possible to prepare highly active catalysts even at very low platinum loadings (as little as 0.08 wt%). The results of this study thus highlight the critical role of nanofiber morphology in the design of modern catalytic materials and offer a promising pathway toward more efficient removal of harmful air pollutants.

• Soukup K., Balabánová J., Fernandez E., Kupčík J., Topka P.: Pt catalysts supported on polybenzimidazole nanofibrous mats: Tailored electrospinning leading to different morphology and platinum dispersion. Application to VOC oxidation. Catal. Today 2026, 461(Jan 2026), 115524. doi.org/10.1016/j.cattod.2025.115524