Nonradical activation of peroxydisulfate over Fe/N doped mesoporous carbon for selective removal of organic pollutant

Abstract

Mesoporous carbon materials are promising catalysts for peroxydisulfate (PDS) activation for degrading aqueous organic pollutants but limited by the intrinsic inertness. Herein, co-doping of iron and nitrogen into the mesoporous carbon framework was performed via thermal conversion of metal-polyphenol coordination polymers (Fe-TA) to synthesize Fe/N co-doped mesoporous carbon for efficient PDS activation. Owing to the large surface area, high graphitization degree and defective configurations, the Fe/N co-doped mesoporous carbon (Fe/N-MCs) exhibited superior catalytic performance toward the degradation of organic pollutants. Electron paramagnetic resonance tests, chemical quenching experiments, electrochemical analysis and spectra measurements revealed that the degradation of organic pollutants over the Fe/N-MCs followed a nonradical oxidation pathway based on electron transfer process. Graphite nitrogen and hydroxyl (C-OH) groups on the defective edges of Fe/N-MCs were proved to be possible active sites for PDS activation. PDS catalyzed by the Fe/N-MCs exhibited strong anti-interference capability to surrounding inorganic ions (such as Cl–, CO32–, NO3– and SO42–) and natural organic matters, making it a promising candidate for the degradation of organic pollutants. This work provides a new prospect for developing highly active mesoporous carbon materials via heteroatom doping for PDS activation for wastewater decontamination.