Application of BiFeO3-based on nickel foam composites with a highly efficient catalytic activity and easily recyclable in Fenton-like process under microwave irradiation

In this study, BiFeO 3 (BFO) powders decorated on nickel foam (NF) with a high catalytic activity are prepared via a one-step microwave-assisted hydrothermal method . The factors that influence the degradation of bisphenol A (BPA) with BFO/NFs as catalysts are optimized to improve the catalytic activity in a microwave-enhanced Fenton-like process. BFO/NF exhibit a superior catalytic activity with a high BPA removal ratio (98.4%) and TOC removal ratio (69.5%) within 5 min. Results indicate that NF significantly affect the improvement of the catalytic activity of BFO because it served as a source of hydroxyl radicals (•OH) during degradation. The amount of • OH generated by BFO/NF is approximately 1.65-fold higher than that by pure BFO. After six reaction cycles, the stability and reusability of • OH remain high. These findings provide new insights into the synthesis of composites on heterogeneous catalysts with high efficiency and easy recyclability for water treatment applications.