Integrating built-in fine alloying FeNi3 in carbon nanofiber reinforcing intermetallic synergy for PMS activation to degrade Bisphenol A

Abstract

Heterogeneous peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation for the mineralization of pollutants has attracted growing attention, while alloying bimetal catalysts afford big promises in synergetic catalysis. Here, by an alteration of electrospun precursor, one-dimensional carbon nanofiber (CNF) integrated with Prussian blue analogs (PBA)-derived alloyed fine plasmonic FeNi3 hybrid catalyst (FeNi3@CNF) was constructed by electrospinning technique with subsequent confinement calcination. The amount of PBA in fiber precursor and thermal treatment temperature were alternatively adjusted to control the distribution and concentration of alloyed FeNi3 in carbon nanofiber. This unique structure combines the advantages of abundant internal porosity of N-doping carbon fiber and uniforms active FeNi3 alloys with highly-exposed reactive sites, facilitating the electron transport and proximity of reactant molecules in catalytic oxidation. The synergistic and interfacial effect of optimal FeNi3@CNF endowed the ultra-fast degradation activity against bisphenol A (BPA) through rapid persulphate activation to generate four reactive active species. Specifically, 20 mg L−1 of BPA was completely degraded within 4 min with a reaction rate constant of 2.736 min−1. Impressively, by innovating the utilization of the Prussian blue precursor in electrospinning, the optimal FeNi3@CNF shows 18.5, 101.3, and 248.5 times activity enhancement in BPA degradation compared to that of Fe@CNF, Ni@CNF, and Fe&Ni@CNF, revealing the appreciable synergy of bimetallic alloys in PMS activation. In addition, the improved catalytic performance of FeNi3@CNF under light irradiation was also simulated, confirming that the enhanced photothermal conversion ability of plasmonic alloys and carbon fiber advance the degradation of BPA.