Co/ZSM-5/PSSF (paper-like stainless steel fibers) catalyst was prepared for the catalytic combustion of volatile organic compounds (isopropanol). The cobalt oxides modified ZSM-5/PSSF catalyst was synthesized by wet impregnation method, and the ZSM-5/PSSF was prepared via secondary growth method on the surface of PSSF supports which was made by wet lay-up papermaking method and sintering process. Characterization of all the samples was carried out by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy disperse X-ray spectrometer (EDS) mapping, X-ray photoelectron spectrum (XPS), N-2 adsorption/desorption and H-2-temperature programmed reduction (H-2-TPR). The results of EDS demonstrated that cobalt oxides had a perfect dispersion on the surface of ZSM-5/PSSF. The performance of catalytic oxidation of single VOCs (isopropanol) was conducted over a zeolite membrane reactor based on Co/ZSM/PSSF catalysts, the experimental results showed that the 0.5 M Co/ZSM-5/PSSF-500 degrees C catalyst exhibited the best catalytic activity for isopropanol oxidation with 90% conversion of isopropanol at 222 degrees C with the feed concentration of 4.5 mg/L and GHSV of 7643 h(-1), which was much lower than that of granular Co/ZSM-5 catalyst (293 degrees C). The special pore structure of ZSM-5/PSSF can offer a relatively higher contacting efficiency, lower diffusion resistance and reasonable mass/heat transfer efficiency. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.