Degradation of chlorophenols via peroxymonosulfate activation by Fe-Co bimetallic single-atom catalyst

Fe-based single-atom catalysts (Fe-SACs) are able to enhance the peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation effectively just as a result of metal active sites that are precisely defined and atomically dispersed. The Fe₂Co₁CN catalyst synthesized in this work exhibits excellent catalytic activity toward PMS activation: the Fe₂Co₁CN/PMS system achieved nearly 100% 2-chlorophenol (2-CP) removal, a sharp contrast to only ∼1.5% removal by PMS alone. Corresponding, a mineralization rate of 78.3% was attained within 2 h, coupled with extremely low metal leaching concentrations-evidencing the Fe₂Co₁CN catalyst's superior structural stability and high catalytic efficiency in PMS activation. Together with its non-radical PMS activation mechanism, these merits highlight the catalyst's potential as an efficient, stable, and selective candidate for practical wastewater treatment applications.