Axially coordinated cobalt single-atom membrane enabling electron-transfer-singlet oxygen synergy for highly...

Area of Science:

• Environmental Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Catalysis

Background:

• Advanced oxidation processes struggle with natural organic matter and inorganic anions.
• Micropollutant removal requires selective degradation strategies, particularly non-radical pathways for electron-rich contaminants.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel carbon-based cobalt single-atom catalytic membrane for efficient and selective micropollutant degradation.
• To investigate the non-radical activation mechanism and optimize catalytic performance.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a carbon-based cobalt single-atom catalytic membrane via low-temperature synthesis.
• Utilized density functional theory (DFT) calculations to elucidate the reaction mechanism.
• Investigated synergistic effects of singlet oxygen, electron transfer, and membrane pore confinement.

Main Results:

• The catalytic membrane demonstrated efficient degradation of electron-rich contaminants via a non-radical pathway.
• Achieved over 98% contaminant removal during 4000 minutes of continuous operation.
• Maintained over 95% removal efficiency in complex water matrices, showing robustness.

Conclusions:

• The developed single-atom catalytic membrane offers a highly selective and efficient method for micropollutant removal.
• Axial coordination engineering and membrane pore confinement enhance catalytic activity and oxidant utilization.
• The system addresses challenges in heterogeneous Fenton-like reactions, showing practical applicability.