Interface synergetic adsorption and catalysis achieve efficient ozone decomposition: Surface atomic oxygen-triggered...

Improving the interfacial mass transfer efficiencies of ozone and pollutants in heterogeneous catalytic ozonation systems is crucial to solving the technical barrier of low reactive oxygen species (ROS) yield, thereby minimizing interference from coexisting components in water to achieve efficient decontamination. Herein, a biochar-coupled manganese oxide catalyst (MnO@BC) was designed, which achieved a dual adsorption and interfacial reaction between ozone and pollutants, significantly enhanced the hydroxyl radical (·OH) yield, leading to a 92.5% removal efficiency for atrazine (ATZ). The hydroxyl groups on the carbon layer achieve effective adsorption of ozone molecules (E_ads=-0.72 eV), inducing Mn-O bond formation with Mn sites and the transfer of 0.29 e⁻, leading to the generation of surface atomic oxygen (*O). Subsequently, this *O spontaneously converts into ·OH, as evidenced by the highly negative Gibbs free energy change (ΔG = -13.9 eV). The improved synergetic process significantly increases ·OH yield by 3.8 times compared to ozone alone. Benefiting from the dual synergy process, the constructed O₃/MnO@BC system significantly resists the interference of coexisting components in water, exhibiting unique advantages compared to traditional catalytic systems. It also performed well in purifying broad-spectrum micropollutants, synchronously weakening the toxicity, and blooming superior prospects for filtered water purification. The study designs catalysts from the perspective of the microscopic heterogeneous interface, providing novel theoretical insights and solutions to solve the technical barrier of heterogeneous catalytic ozonation.