Controlled pyrolysis of MIL-88A to prepare iron/carbon composites for synergistic persulfate oxidation of phenol: Catalytic performance and mechanism

In this study, based on the extensive discussion of the phase transformation process of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs)——MIL-88A(Fe) under thermal treatment, the catalytic performance of MIL-88A-derived iron/carbon (FexC) composites on persulfate (PS) activation for phenol degradation was investigated. FexC-600 ( γ -Fe 2 O 3 /C) exhibited a superior catalytic activity on PS activation for phenol degradation due to higher carbon content, more sp 2 -hybridized structure, carbonyl group and defective sites in composites, in which 98.23% of phenol (20 mg/L) was degraded after 60 min with 0.3 g/L catalyst and 0.3 g/L PS at ambient pH (6.1). The phenol degradation experiments and mechanism studies revealed that there was a catalytic synergism between iron oxides and carbon component in FexC 400-600 composites. Moreover, sulfate radicals (SO 4 − ), hydroxyl radical (•OH), singlet oxygen ( 1 O 2 ) and interfacial electron transfer process all involved in the degradation of phenol by FexC 400-600 composites, but the 1 O 2 -mediated non-radical oxidation was the dominant pathway rather than reactive radicals. Finally, the possible mechanism of PS activation on FexC 400-600 composites was proposed. This work discusses the synergistic catalytic mechanism of FexC composites on PS activation, and favors to provide a better understanding of the metal species and carbon component interaction in iron/carbon-based materials.