Versatile electrospun cobalt-doped carbon films for rapid antibiotic degradation

This study presents a novel approach to water contamination remediation by developing cobalt-doped carbon nanofiber films using electrospun ZIF-67 precursors, aiming to degrade tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH) and other antibiotics. This method uniquely combines the advantages of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and electrospinning to enhance catalytic performance, demonstrating significant innovation in environmental catalysis. The research systematically evaluated the impact of various factors on the catalytic activity of carbonized PAN@ZIF-67 films (CPZF), including carbonization temperature, ZIF-67 content, and PMS dosage. Notably, the CPZF catalyst with 11% ZIF-67 content (named as CPZF-11%) achieved an impressive 99.7% degradation of TCH within just 10 min under visible light and PMS activation, highlighting its superior catalytic efficiency. The study revealed that CPZF-11% exhibited excellent stability and recyclability, maintaining near 100% degradation rates even after six cycles. This catalytic performance is attributed to the synergistic effect of photogenerated electrons and PMS activation, leading to the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as sulfate radicals and singlet oxygen. The research further elucidated the degradation pathways and intermediate products through quenching experiments and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) analysis. The findings demonstrate the broad applicability of CPZF/Vis/PMS in various water matrices, including tap water and wastewater, underscoring its potential for real-world applications in wastewater treatment. This innovative integration of MOFs and electrospinning offers a promising strategy for developing efficient, recyclable, and high-performance catalysts for environmental remediation.