Defects lead to a massive enhancement in the UV-Vis-IR driven thermocatalytic activity of Co3O4 mesoporous nanorods

Co₃O₄ mesoporous nanorods with Co²⁺ vacancy defects exhibit highly effective catalytic activity for the oxidation of recalcitrant benzene under UV-Vis-IR illumination. The presence of defects considerably promotes the surface lattice oxygen activity of Co₃O₄, thus massively enhancing the catalytic activity.