Interface engineering is an effective strategy for improving the catalytic activity of electrocatalysts. Herein, an enhanced binder-free Ti4O7 electrode doped with waste MOF-recycled N-doped carbon polyhedrons (Dr-CN) was developed and denoted as Dr-CN@Ti4O7. The chemical-bond formation at the interface of Ti4O7 and Dr-CN led to a significant acceleration of charge transfer and higher •OH yield at 1.55–2.75 times rate in comparison with pristine Ti4O7. At 0.5 %Dr-CN@Ti4O7 electrode, the oxidation rate of tetracycline (TCH) was about 3 times that of pristine Ti4O7, especially when doped with 2 wt% Dr-CN, the kinetic rate can be comparable to that of BDD electrode. Furthermore, the 0.5 %Dr-CN@Ti4O7 anode exhibited desirable stability and durability in consecutive 20 cycle tests and was shown to effectively mineralize refractory organic matters in actual livestock and coking wastewater. Energy consumption for TCH removal by 0.5 %Dr-CN@Ti4O7 electrode was calculated as 3.02 kWh m−3, with a 73.5–77.6 % reduction compared to some previous electrodes. These results suggested that the interface chemical-bonded engineering strategy via doping MOF-derived carbon can effectively improve the Magnéli-phase Ti4O7 electrode with satisfying electrochemical reactivity and stability.
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