Facile Fabrication of Carbon Paper-Supported Fe Catalyst Under Pulse Laser Irradiation for Degradation of Rhodamine B

Persistent organic pollutants, such as Rhodamine B (RhB), pose significant environmental and health risks, necessitating the development of advanced oxidation technologies for effective removal. While heterogeneous photo-Fenton catalysts are known for their high degradation efficiency, their practical application is often limited by complex synthesis processes, catalyst detachment, and difficult recovery. This study proposes an innovative laser-induced, one-step synthesis strategy to fabricate metal/carbon nanocomposite catalytic layers directly onto flexible carbon paper. The as-prepared composites exhibit strong interfacial interaction between metal nanoparticles and the carbon matrix, as indicated by XPS analysis, and demonstrate enhanced catalytic activity in the UV/H₂O₂ system. Notably, the integrated composites exhibit exceptional catalytic activity in the UV/H₂O₂ system, achieving complete degradation of a 20 mg/L RhB solution within just 1.5 h. The enhanced performance is attributed to the facilitated Fe³⁺/Fe²⁺ cycling and efficient generation of hydroxyl radicals (·OH), although the underlying charge separation mechanism requires further investigation with techniques such as photoluminescence spectroscopy and transient photocurrent measurements. This work not only demonstrates the high activity and stability of the photo-Fenton catalyst but also provides a green, rapid fabrication approach for the development of efficient and integrable catalytic devices for wastewater treatment.