Boosting N 2 O Catalytic Decomposition by the Synergistic Effect of Multiple Elements in Cobalt-Based High-Entropy Oxides

Nitrous oxide (N 2 O) has a detrimental impact on the greenhouse effect, and its efficient catalytic decomposition at low temperatures remains challenging. Herein, the cobalt-based high-entropy oxide with a spinel-type structure (Co-HEO) is successfully fabricated via a facile coprecipitation method for N 2 O catalytic decomposition. The obtained Co-HEO catalyst displays more remarkable catalytic performance and higher thermal stability compared with single and binary Co-based oxides, as the temperature of 90% N 2 O decomposition ( T 90 ) is 356 °C. A series of characterization results reveal that the synergistic effect of multiple elements enhances the reducibility and augments oxygen vacancy in the high-entropy system, thus boosting the activity of the Co-HEO catalyst. Moreover, density functional theory (DFT) calculations and the temperature-programmed surface reaction (TPSR) with isotope labeling demonstrate that N 2 O decomposition on the Co-HEO catalyst follows the Langmuir–Hinshelwood (L-H) mechanism with the promotion of abundant oxygen vacancies. This work provides a fundamental understanding of the synergistic catalytic effect in N 2 O decomposition and paves the way for the novel environmental catalytic applications of HEO.