Modulating Electron Distribution by Codoping N and B on Carbon Surface to Enhance Catalytic Ozonation Performance for...

Area of Science:

• Environmental Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Catalysis

Background:

• Carbon-based catalysts are cost-effective for catalytic ozonation but suffer from low efficiency due to limited reactive sites.
• Improving the catalytic activity of carbon materials is crucial for effective micropollutant decontamination.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and evaluate a novel dual heteroatom-doped carbon catalyst for enhanced catalytic ozonation.
• To investigate the synergistic effects of nitrogen and boron codoping on catalyst performance and reaction mechanisms.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of boron and nitrogen codoped carbon-coated γ-Al₂O₃ (BNC/γ-Al₂O₃) catalyst.
• Catalytic ozonation experiments for atrazine (ATZ) degradation.
• Kinetic analysis and mechanistic investigations using pseudo first-order kinetics.

Main Results:

• The BNC/γ-Al₂O₃ catalyst exhibited a pseudo first-order reaction rate of 0.29 min^-1 for ATZ degradation, significantly higher than undoped and singly doped catalysts.
• Codoping synergistically enhanced surface polarization and lowered the energy barrier for free radical generation.
• The catalyst demonstrated excellent stability and potential for real wastewater treatment.

Conclusions:

• Dual heteroatom doping with N and B is an effective strategy to design high-performance carbocatalysts for ozonation.
• The enhanced catalyst accelerates micropollutant degradation through improved electronic properties and radical generation.
• This work offers a promising approach for developing advanced oxidation processes for wastewater remediation.