Abstract: The CuO/ZrO₂ catalyst was modified using low temperature O₂ plasma in a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) reactor and the catalyst modified was used in the catalytic combustion of ventilation air methane.The influence of plasma treatment time, O₂ space velocity, discharge voltage, discharge frequency and plasma treatment sequence on the activity of catalyst was investigated.The results show that the optimum plasma treatment time is 30 min.The activity of catalyst increases with the increasing space velocity of O₂ and the activity increases as the discharge voltage and discharge frequency increase initially and decreases afterwards.The activity of the CuO/ZrO₂ catalyst prepared by plasma treated fist then calcined is higher than that prepared by calcined fist then plasma treated.Therefore, the catalyst modified was prepared by means of plasma treated fist then calcined method.When the catalyst modified was used in the catalytic combustion of ventilation air methane, T₁₀, T₅₀ and T₉₀ was decreased by 41 ℃, 27 ℃ and 35 ℃, respectively.Compared with the conventional CuO/ZrO₂ catalyst, the CuO/ZrO₂ catalyst modified can depress the apparent activation energy of catalytic combustion reaction of ventilation air methane from 71.25 kJ/mol to 63.19 kJ/mol.