Amount Of Catalyst Research Articles

Glycerol esterification of free fatty acids catalyzed by zinc glycerolate for biodiesel production from acidified palm oil: Optimization, kinetic study, and process evaluation

AbstractBiodiesel is an important alternative renewable liquid fuel due to its eco‐friendly, non‐toxic, and lower emissions. In this work, glycerol esterification catalyzed by zinc glycerolate was employed as a pretreatment to prepare biodiesel from acidified palm oil. The effects of stirring rate, catalyst amount, glycerol to free fatty acids (FFAs) molar ratio, and reaction temperature on the conversion of FFAs and concentration of monoglycerides, diglycerides, and triglycerides were investigated and optimized. The results show that the conversion of FFAs could reach 99.16% under the optimized conditions. Moreover, the kinetics of glycerol esterification catalyzed by zinc glycerolate at 160–200°C was obtained. Additionally, a comprehensive evaluation of the new biodiesel production process was also conducted. As a result, higher biodiesel content in the crude biodiesel phase was obtained after transesterification and separation using this new process. Overall, the study contributes to the utilization of waste oils to produce renewable energy and to minimize the waste management problem.

Utilization of waste citrus limetta peel for the green synthesis of iron catalyst and its subsequent application in fluidized-bed Fenton-like process for environmental sustainable treatment of organic pollutant

This work focuses on the environmental friendly synthesis of an iron-based catalyst utilizing extract from waste citrus limetta peels. The main objective is to encourage the sustainable use of bio-waste materials in catalytic processes. This innovative method demonstrates the efficacy of bio-derived materials in catalysis by removing the need for hazardous chemicals. The green-synthesized catalyst was analyzed using many characterization methods, including X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). These analyzed results give insightful information on the physicochemical properties of green-synthesized catalysts. Furthermore, the prepared catalyst was utilized in a fluidized-bed reactor to facilitate the Fenton degradation of dye effluent, with a specific focus on the commonly used Eosin yellow (EY) dye. The iron catalyst derived from plant-based waste material accomplished an impressive 98% degradation of EY within a 90-minute time frame under optimized working conditions, using a minimal quantity of catalyst. An in-depth analysis was conducted to study the kinetics and process mass transfer in order to improve the comprehension of catalytic processes occurring in the fluidized-bed reactor. The Fenton decomposition of dye effluent is likely to be explained by first-order reaction kinetics. Additionally, confirmed enhanced catalytic durability and decreased deactivation of surface sites of the prepared catalyst after three consecutive oxidation cycles. These findings underscore the potential of this approach in sustainable wastewater treatment, highlighting both its efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

Assessing the potential for upscaling the continuous production of lignin oils through reductive catalytic depolymerization

Lignin represents up to one third of lignocellulosic biomass and is a sustainable carbon source available at a sufficient scale to replace an impactful amount of fossil resources when converted into materials and chemicals. The molecular structure of lignin renders it ideal to obtain renewable aromatic building blocks for the polymer industry. Nevertheless, in polymeric form, lignin poses serious challenges for material applications and chemical conversion, namely poor solubility, and low reactivity. This problem can be circumvented by depolymerization of isolated lignins. To meet the demand for renewable aromatic building blocks, it is crucial to utilize technical lignin streams generated on large scale. This will eventually allow the development of continuous, high-throughput processes which are required for viable industrial-scale operations. Our work demonstrates for the first time that “technical grade” hydrolysis lignin from an operating biorefinery can be successfully subjected to continuous reductive catalytic depolymerization (RCD) in a packed bed reactor using a commercially available Pd/Al2O3 catalyst. The impact of catalyst amount, feed concentration (in methanol), and temperature with regards to process stability and product quality was investigated. The product was characterized by NMR, GPC, and GC-FID. Feed concentrations up to 7 wt% could be continuously processed for 77 h at 200 °C whereas at 225 °C, the operation time was restricted to 21 h. In all cases, a stable output was obtained over time in terms of molar mass, OH-group distributions, and monomer content. At 200 °C, carbon yields above 90 % of the soluble lignin fraction were feasible.

Efficient Degradation of Methyl Violet 10B Dye by Different Light Sources using Boron-doped TiO2-ZnO Photocatalyst

Boron-doped TiO2-ZnO nanocomposite was prepared by sonochemically using boron trichloride, tetra n-butyl orthotitanate and zinc acetate in appropriate proportion. The as-prepared nanocomposite was successfully characterized by XRD, EDX, SEM and BET techniques The operational factors that affect the rate of photocatalytic degradation of methyl violet 10B present in wastewater were optimized, which include initial dye concentration, catalyst amount, pH level and different light intensities such as incandescent light bulb, UV lamp and sunlight. During sonication under sunlight, it was found that the most effective removal rate achieved was 95% when using 0.02 g of B doped TiO2-ZnO per 100 mL of methyl violet 10B solution. The impact of different dye concentrations on the photocatalytic degradation demonstrated the threshold at which concentrations may be readily eliminated. The most effective pollutant degradation was achieved at 5 ppm. The introduction of oxygen using sonophotocatalysis process into the polluted stream enhanced the photocatalytic breakdown of the pollutants. The photocatalyst can be recycled for four cycles without loss the catalyst stability and the degradation rate obeys first-order kinetics.

Improved photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue by novel hexagonal ZnO particles

Recently, the use of nanoparticles as photocatalysts has gained great importance. However, nanoparticles exhibit some drawbacks for this application and there is a need for new particle technologies to mitigate these drawbacks. A novel particle technology called MicNo based on ZnO has been designed and manufactured, which exhibits the advantages and properties of both micron and nano size. Although performance of MicNo-ZnO has been tested in various applications, it has not been tested as a photocatalyst in any photocatalytic degradation process. In this study, novel designed ZnO was used as a catalyst for methylene blue (MB) degradation in the presence of UV irradiation. The MicNo-ZnO particles were characterized by structural and morphological properties by XRD, BET and SEM analyses. The effects of catalyst amount, pH, temperature and initial concentration on the degradation process were investigated. In addition, a reusability study was carried out with 4 cycles under optimum conditions. The MicNo-ZnO particles showed excellent photocatalytic activity with a degradation rate of 96% for methylene blue in 180 min. The pseudo-first-order rate constant for the photocatalytic degradation of MB by MicNo-ZnO was as high as 0.0236 min−1, confirming that MicNo-ZnO particles can be effectively utilized as an alternative catalyst material.

Integrating experimental and machine learning approaches for predictive analysis of photocatalytic hydrogen evolution using Cu/g-C3N4

This study addresses environmental issues like global warming and wastewater generation by exploring waste-to-energy strategies that produce renewable hydrogen and treat wastewater simultaneously. Cu/g-C3N4 is used to evolve hydrogen from sucrose solution and the impact of reaction parameters such as pH (3, 5, and 7), Cu loading (5, 10, and 15 wt%), catalyst amount (0.1, 0.2, and 0.3 g/L), and oxidant (H2O2) concentration (0, 10, and 20 mM) on the evolved hydrogen amount is examined. Characterization study confirmed successful incorporation of Cu without significantly altering g-C3N4 properties. The highest hydrogen production (1979.25 μmol g−1·h−1) is achieved with 0.3 g/L catalyst, 20 mM H2O2, 5 % Cu loading, and pH 3. The experimental study concludes that Cu/g-C3N4 is an effective photocatalyst for renewable hydrogen production. In addition to the experimental investigations, various machine learning (ML) models, including Random Forest, Decision Tree, XGBoost, among others, are employed to analyze the impact of reaction parameters and forecast the quantities of produced hydrogen. Alongside these individual models, an ensemble approach is proposed and utilized. The R2 values of these ML models ranged from 0.9454 to 0.9955, indicating strong predictive performance across the board. Additionally, these models exhibited low error rates, further confirming their reliability in predicting hydrogen evolution.

Revolutionizing acridine synthesis: novel core-shell magnetic nanoparticles and Co-Zn zeolitic imidazolate framework with 1-aza-18-crown-6-ether-Ni catalysts

Nanoparticles have emerged as a critical catalyst substrate due to their exceptional features, such as catalytic efficiency, high stability, and easy recovery. In our research, we have developed an innovative and environmentally friendly magnetic mesoporous nanocatalyst. Using the co-precipitation method, we produced magnetic nanoparticles (Fe3O4) and coated them with Zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) to enhance their surface area and chemical stability. The resulting substrate was functionalized with 1-aza-18-crown-6-ether and nickel metal. Our prepared catalyst has been rigorously evaluated using advanced techniques, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Brunauer-Emmet-Teller (BET), vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM), scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDS), inductively coupled plasma (ICP), elemental mapping analysis (EMA), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). By synthesizing acridine derivatives, we have demonstrated the exceptional efficiency of our catalyst in organic compound synthesis. Through optimization, we have established the ideal parameters for catalytic processes, including catalyst amount, temperature, time, and ultrasonic use. Our catalyst has been proven to exhibit remarkable physical and chemical properties, such as porosity, temperature resistance, and recyclability. Notably, our heterogeneous nanocatalyst has shown outstanding performance and can be recycled six times without any loss in efficiency, affirming its potential in acridine.

Approach to extended polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by benzannulation and intramolecular cyclization; improvement of the reaction conditions by microwave irradiation

The extended π-conjugated compounds 1–8 were synthesized by the benzannulation of the corresponding alkyne derivatives followed by Pd-catalyzed intramolecular cyclization. For the Pd-catalyzed intramolecular cyclization, microwave irradiation reduced the amount of the Pd catalyst and the reaction time. Moreover, this protocol can be achieved to prepare the extended and twisted π-conjugated molecule 19, having anthracene, helicene, and picene skeletons.

Enhancing the selective catalytic oxidation of lignocellulosic biomass to formic acid using hydrogen peroxide and a reusable MgAl hydrotalcite-derived as a catalyst in a green solvent

Biofuels or liquid fuels derived from natural matter, are one of the most intriguing yet divisive alternatives for petroleum-based fuels. The most common approach to produce biofuels is to transform plant sugars and other carbohydrates into oxygen-deficient chemicals. A growing relevance has been devoted in the direct synthesis of platform molecules from biomass resources, using one-pot or cascade techniques via adequate catalytic system tuning and improvement of the reaction conditions which have merged as a beneficial strategy from an economic and ecological standpoint. In a similar vein, the major objective of this contribution was to investigate and enhance the conditions for a selective oxidation of lignocellulosic biomass-derived cellulose to yield formic acid (FA), the latter is one of the most coveted liquid hydrogen carriers and among the key compounds used in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and leather industries. Both oxidizing aqueous hydrogen peroxide and calcined heterogeneous hydrotalcite catalyst have been employed at an atmospheric pressure for this purpose. The effect of reaction time, temperature, amount of catalyst and oxidant on the product's yield and selectivity have been investigated. The oxidation of a plant-derived cellulosic fiber at 70 °C using an H2O2 excess (7 mmol) provided an impressive result with a high yield and TON of 61.0 %, 12.30 respectively, the latter was confirmed to be relatively close to the one from the oxidation of pure cellulose. Furthermore, the reusability of the catalyst has also been studied which was demonstrated to result in the same yields for one reuse and 3 recycles.

Selective Carbohydrate Deacetylation: Simple and Mild Approach based on Supported Copper Nanoparticles

AbstractHerein, a selective protocol for the complete removal of acetyl protecting groups from carbohydrate derivatives based on copper nanoparticles supported on activated carbon is presented. The deacetylation procedure occurs under neutral conditions, is applicable to a wide range of substrates and tolerates a variety of functional groups (e. g. azido, allyl and silyl groups). Quantitative yields of the deacetylated product were obtained for all evaluated derivatives using catalyst amounts between 1 and 10 mol%. As a special highlight, the dual behavior of the nanocatalyst in both deacetylation and click reactions is reported.

Effect of catalyst and oxidant concentrations in a TEMPO oxidation system on the production of cellulose nanofibers.

In traditional TEMPO oxidation systems, the high cost of TEMPO catalysts has been a significant barrier to the industrialization of oxidized CNF. From an economic perspective, presenting the characteristics of various CNFs produced with the oxidation systems with reduced catalyst usage could facilitate the industrial application of CNF across a wide range of fields. In this study, it was demonstrated that reducing the amount of TEMPO catalyst used (from 0.1 to 0.05 mmol g-1) in a conventional oxidation system increased the carboxylate content by approximately 6.3%. Furthermore, the activation of hydroxyl amine TEMPO, which is generated after the oxidation reaction of cellulose, was enhanced by adjusting the dosage of the inexpensive oxidant NaClO, leading to a 20% improvement in carboxylate content. This suggests that controlling the amount of NaClO as an oxidant can be a key parameter in adjusting the dosage of TEMPO to achieve the targeted degree of surface substitution. Results from the dispersion stability, UV-transmittance, and morphological properties of TEMPO-oxidized CNF using microfluidizing treatment showed that high carboxylate content plays a crucial role in producing high-purity CNF suspensions, which are small, uniform, and free from microfibers. Additionally, by varying the number of mechanical treatments applied to the oxidized cellulose, various types of CNF suspensions with different mean widths were obtained. We expect that these findings offer meaningful insights to end-users seeking a breakthrough in the performance limitations of final applications using cellulose nanomaterials.

Optimization of aluminum hydroxide catalyst for efficient hydrogen generation from aluminum-water reaction

The aluminum-water reaction offers a promising method for clean hydrogen production, but it requires an effective catalyst. This study investigates the use of aluminum hydroxide (Al(OH)3) as a catalyst for the aluminum-water reaction to generate hydrogen gas. Various aluminum hydroxide catalysts were synthesized and evaluated for their catalytic performance. The effects of catalyst source, synthesis conditions, quantity, and pH value of the reacting solution were systematically studied. The results demonstrate that self-synthesized, nano-sized Al(OH)3 catalysts exhibit superior catalytic activity compared to commercial sources. Additionally, optimizing the pH value was found to significantly impact the hydrogen generation rate. Proper synthesized Al(OH)3 is capable of completing hydrogen generation within 160 s at pH 11.6, while slightly higher pH value accelerates this reaction down to 60 s. Comparative studies with uncatalyzed reactions at higher pH levels (up to 14) showed significantly slower and incomplete hydrogen production. This research provides insights into developing efficient and sustainable catalytic systems for aluminum-water based hydrogen production.

Oxidation of Geraniol on Vermiculite—The Influence of Selected Parameters on the Oxidation Process

Geraniol is a compound belonging to the group of monoterpenes that finds many applications in organic syntheses, medicine and cosmetics. The following properties of geraniol and its derivatives are of particular interest in medicine: its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial and anticancer effects. The geraniol oxidation process was carried out using a mineral of natural origin—vermiculite. Vermiculite is a catalyst that perfectly fits into modern trends in the organic industry, where the aim is to use cheap, renewable and relatively easily available catalytic materials (vermiculite is found on continents including Africa, North America, South America, Australia and Asia). Preliminary studies on the oxidation process of geraniol on vermiculite was carried out in a glass apparatus using molecular oxygen supplied by means of a bubbler and magnetic stirrer with a heating function. During the oxidation process of geraniol on vermiculite, the influence of the following parameters was examined: the temperature, amount of catalyst and reaction time. The main parameters of the process, on the basis of which the most favorable process conditions were selected, were the selectivity of the transformation to 2,3-epoxygeraniol, citral and 2,3-epoxycitral, and the conversion of geraniol. The composition of the post-reaction mixtures was determined qualitatively and quantitatively using the gas chromatography method. In addition, vermiculite was subjected to instrumental tests, such as XRD, SEM, EDX, FTIR and UV-VIS. Moreover, the specific surface area, pore volume and pore volume distribution were estimated on the basis of N2 sorption at −196 °C and also the acid-site concentration in vermiculite was established.

Green synthesis of ZnO and Ni-doped ZnO from okra stalks for the photocatalytic degradation of Procion Red MX-5B

This study investigates the photocatalytic degradation of Procion Red MX-5B (PRM) using ZnO and Ni-doped ZnO catalysts derived from okra stalks through a green synthesis method. Various parameters, including hydrogen peroxide concentration (HPC), catalyst amount, nickel (Ni) doping amount, initial PRM concentration, and pH, are systematically studied to assess their impact on PRM degradation efficiency. The results reveal that both ZnO and Ni-doped ZnO catalysts exhibit promising photocatalytic activity, with the highest PRM degradation efficiency achieved at the following reaction conditions: 6 mM of HPC, 40 mg of Ni(7%):ZnO catalyst, 10 ppm initial PRM concentration, and pH = 6. Under these conditions, the Ni-doped ZnO catalyst demonstrated a degradation efficiency of 98.08% compared to 82.99% for the ZnO catalyst. The study highlights the potential of these catalysts for efficient organic pollutant removal and provides valuable insights into the factors influencing their photocatalytic performance.

Divergent Annulations of 5,6‐Dihydro‐4H‐1,2‐Oxazine N‐Oxides and Enol Diazoacetates for the Switchable Chemoselective Synthesis of Fused 1,2‐Oxazine Derivatives

Reactions of 5,6‐dihydro‐4H‐1,2‐oxazine N‐oxides with enol diazoacetates were studied. A particular reaction path depends on the amount of catalyst and the order of the addition of the substrates. Use of Rh2(Oct)4 (2 mol.%) leads to chemoselective [3+3]‐annulation producing 1,2‐oxazine‐fused 1,2‐oxazine derivatives. With lower catalyst loadings (0.03 mol.%) enol diazoacetates are converted to cyclopropene derivatives, which in situ react with 1,2‐oxazine N‐oxides via tandem [3+2]‐cycloaddition‐rearrangement producing oxazine‐fused aziridines. Both transformations showed a wide substrate scope and produced target products with good yields and diastereoselectivity, thus allowing selective preparation of these rare heterocyclic systems. A mechanistic rationale for observed chemo‐ and stereo‐ selectivities was proposed.

Effects of nickel substitution on structural, magnetic and optical properties of Sillenite bismuth ferrite nanoparticles

The Ni-doped Bi25FeO40 nanoparticles [Bi25 NixFe(1-x)O40, x = 0.1, 0.3, and 0.5] were synthesized by the hydrothermal method at a temperature of 180 °C. The effects of the Ni substitute on the structural, optical, magnetic, and photocatalytic performance have been investigated. The successful synthesis of the materials was confirmed by Rietveld's refined powder X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Scanning electron microscopy together with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) revealed the morphology of the synthesized nanomaterials as well as its chemical composition. The studied materials exhibited anomalous magnetic properties as evident from the vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM) analysis. These features display a weak ferromagnetic nature and demonstrate increased magnetization when doping elements are incorporated. Furthermore, Optical analysis revealed that bandgaps of Bi25NixFe(1-x)O40 were found to be increased from 2.06 eV to 2.31 eV with increasing Ni content. Additionally, the expansion of sillenite bismuth nickel ferrite's optical bandgap was further confirmed by the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue as a model dye under the low-power white LED illumination. Lower bandgap undoped nanoparticles showed the highest photocatalytic efficiency, with a degradation rate of ∼43.11 % compared to higher bandgap doped nanoparticles, without adjustment of any reaction conditions such as pH or catalyst amount. The kinetic reaction rate of undoped Bi25FeO40 was roughly twice as fast as that of the material doped with 50 % Ni.

Cross-linking matters: Building hard carbons with enhanced sodium-ion storage plateau capacities

Hard carbon is a promising anode material for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). However, its commercialization is hampered by its relatively low capacity. This limitation primarily arises from the insufficient closed pore structures developed within the hard carbon. In this contribution, we precisely control the crosslinking structures of phenol-formaldehyde resin precursors by adjusting the catalyst amount, producing carbon materials with varied microstructures. We explore the relationship between the microstructures of the resin-derived hard carbon and its sodium storage performance. Our findings indicate that increasing the crosslinking degree of phenol-formaldehyde resins enhances the number of closed pores formed during high-temperature carbonization, thereby improving the plateau capacity. Notably, the hard carbon exhibits superior rate performance, due to its smaller closed pore diameter. This study provides an in-depth exploration of the relationship between precursor structural characteristics and the microstructures of hard carbons. By calculating the closed pore parameters, we elucidate the structure-performance relationship, demonstrating that optimizing the closed pore structures significantly enhances the electrochemical performance of hard carbons for SIBs. This research offers valuable insights for the development of high-performance hard carbon anodes, paving the way for the commercialization of SIBs.

Optimization study and application of box-behnken model for probing eggshell supported transition metals based catalysts to synthesize hydrazone & dihydropyrimidinones

Solid supported catalysts have several synthetic applications. Herein, finely ground eggshells were used as a solid support for the preparation of transition metal (Ni, Zn, Cu, Sn and Co) based catalysts to synthesize 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazone (3) and dihydropyrimidinones (7 and 8). The effect of catalyst load, time and temperature on product yield was studied. Box Behnken Model was employed, and three predictors named catalyst amount (A), reaction time (B), and reaction temperature (C) were used to find the correlation of the predictors with the yield. Second order polynomial equation was used to estimate the effects of these factors. According to the statistical model, about 12% increase in yield was observed as a result of one-unit increase in reaction time while all other terms were kept constant. The values of S (18.1616) and R2 (71.2%) indicate that the statistical model gave an adequate fit to data. Quadratic model for the response surface was used for the analysis of variance (ANOVA) results, the larger F-values, and smaller p-values indicated that the predictors are in good agreement. The linear model terms of predictors were found to be significantly effective for yield (P < 0.05). The response surface and contour plots were also in agreement with the predicted model.

Synthesis, Magnetic, and Photocatalytic Activity of Polypyrrole-Based TiO2–Fe Catalyst for Wastewater Treatment

The primary aim of this study is to investigate the degradation efficacy of the Ppy/TiO2-Fe photocatalyst for MB dye in an aqueous solution. Firstly, the direct addition of TiO2 and Fe was done to prepare Ppy/TiO2-Fe photocatalyst. Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy, XRD, SEM, BET surface area analysis, and magnetization tests established the formation of the Ppy/TiO2-Fe photocatalyst. The crystallite sizes of TiO2, Fe-TiO2, and Ppy/TiO2-Fe photocatalyst were estimated to be 24.99 nm, 21.94 nm, and 21.84 nm, respectively. For the synthesis confirmation, the FTIR spectrum confirmed the existence of Ti-O, Fe-O, and Ppy-related bonds. While comparing the SEM images, the impact of polypyrrole on the particle shape was observed with less aggregation and increased surface roughness. The VSM analysis revealed that incorporating polypyrrole (Ppy) into Fe-TiO2 significantly enhances its magnetic properties, with Ppy/TiO2-Fe exhibiting superparamagnetic behavior, characterized by a higher saturation magnetization (Ms) of 33.11 emu/g and a lower coercivity (Hc) of 0.160 Oe, compared to Fe-TiO2’s Ms of 1.09 emu/g and Hc of 341.39 Oe. The N2 sorption desorption, with a specific surface area of 2.25 × 102 m2/g, is beneficial for photocatalytic activity. The concentration of dye, amount of catalyst, pH, and temperature were studied to evaluate the photocatalytic efficiency of the synthesized Ppy/TiO2-Fe photocatalyst under different conditions. The findings revealed a degradation efficiency of 91.92%. The degradation rate reached 91.92% under optimal conditions within 120 min and could be fitted well by first-order kinetics. The photocatalytic efficiency was also evaluated for the scavenger, and the concentration of H2O2 and the reusability of the catalyst were demonstrated. Based on the observed results, the Ppy/TiO2-Fe photocatalyst could be applied more effectively and efficiently to photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes in wastewater treatment.

Walnut Shell Biomass Triggered Formation of Fe3C-Biochar Composite for Removal of Diclofenac by Activating Percarbonate

Percarbonate (SPC) as a promising substitute for liquid H2O2 has many advantages in the application of in situ chemical oxidation (ISCO). Developing efficient, cost effective and environmentally friendly catalysts for SPC activation plays the key role in promoting the development of SPC-based ISCO. Herein, the walnut shell biomass was combined with ferric nitrate for the catalytic synthesis of Fe3C@biochar composite (Fe3C@WSB), which demonstrated high efficiency in activating SPC for the removal of diclofenac (DCF). The Fe3C showed average crystallite size of 32.6 nm and the composite Fe3C@WSB demonstrated strong adsorptivity. The prepared Fe3C@WSB could activate both SPC and H2O2 with high efficiency at ca. pH 3 with extremely low leaching of iron, while in a weak acidic condition, higher efficiency of DCF removal was obtained in the Fe3C@WSB/SPC process than in the Fe3C@WSB/H2O2 process. Moreover, the Fe3C@WSB/SPC and Fe3C@WSB/H2O2 processes did not show significant differences when supplied with varying amounts of catalyst or oxidant, but the Fe3C@WSB/SPC process exhibited stronger capability in dealing with relatively highly concentrated DCF solution. Based on quenching experiments and electron spin resonance (ESR) analysis, heterogeneous activation of SPC was assumed as the dominant route for DCF degradation, and both the oxidation by radicals, including •OH, •O2− and CO3•−, combined with electron transfer pathway contributed to DCF degradation in the Fe3C@WSB/SPC process. The cycling experiment results also revealed the stability of Fe3C@WSB. This work may cast some light on the development of efficient catalysts for the activation of SPC.