Design of Environmental-Friendly Carbon-Based Catalysts for Efficient Advanced Oxidation Processes

Area of Science:

• Environmental Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Catalysis

Background:

• Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) are crucial for degrading persistent organic pollutants in contaminated water.
• Developing green, cost-effective catalysts for AOPs remains a significant challenge for practical applications.
• Rhodamine B is a common, persistent organic pollutant found in dye-contaminated wastewater.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an efficient and cost-effective catalyst for the degradation of rhodamine B using AOPs.
• To investigate the catalytic activity of cobalt-doped porous carbon (Co-C/SiO2) in activating peroxymonosulfate (PMS).
• To explore the degradation mechanism involving singlet oxygen and other reactive oxygen species.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of cobalt-doped porous carbon nanocomposites (Co-C/SiO2) via pyrolysis of cobalt-loaded silica and phenolic resin.
• Catalytic degradation experiments using Co-C/SiO2 to activate PMS for rhodamine B oxidation.
• Analysis of degradation products and reaction kinetics to elucidate the degradation mechanism.

Main Results:

• The optimized Co-C/SiO2 catalyst achieved 96.7% degradation of rhodamine B in 14 minutes.
• A high reaction rate constant (k) of 0.2271 min⁻¹ was observed, indicating efficient catalytic activity.
• Singlet oxygen (¹O2) was identified as a key reactive species contributing to rhodamine B degradation.

Conclusions:

• Cobalt-doped porous carbon (Co-C/SiO2) is a highly effective catalyst for activating PMS in AOPs.
• The catalyst demonstrates significant potential for the practical remediation of dye-contaminated water.
• The developed material offers a promising, green, and cost-effective approach to wastewater treatment.