Enhanced degradation of polyvinyl alcohol over a Cu0-carbon@γ-Al2O3 composite through heterogeneous Fenton-like reactions: Preparation, mechanism, and applications

Abstract

In this study, we used cotton as the source of the carbon layer and prepared Cu0-carbon@γ-Al2O3 composites by spray drying and calcination method. Cu0-carbon@γ-Al2O3 composites were prepared to degrade polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), Reactive Red X-3B, and rhodamine B. The SEM and TEM analysis reveal the Cu0 particles loaded on the carbon layers and γ-Al2O3 were the active sites for the catalytic reaction. The electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) analysis and quenching experiments indicated the generation of·OH, 1O2, and HO2·during the catalytic reaction. The catalytic reactions maintained a high catalytic efficiency of more than 82% when the Cu0-carbon@γ-Al2O3 composites were reused 10 times. This study will promote wide applications of Cu0 as a functional material and provide new ideas for broadening the application field of cotton. Meanwhile, this study also demonstrated that Cu0-carbon@γ-Al2O3 is a promising composite material for advanced oxidation technology.