High-dispersive FeS2 on graphene oxide for effective degradation of 4-chlorophenol

A high-dispersive FeS2 micro-cube crystal on graphene oxide (FeS2@GO) was fabricated by a one-pot hydrothermal method. The catalytic degradation of 4-chlorophenol (4-CP) and its mechanism in a FeS2@GO-based Fenton system was investigated. Under acidic to slight alkaline conditions, FeS2@GO demonstrated an excellent capacity to remove 4-CP. More than 97% of 4-CP was eliminated within 60 min in pH 7.0 reaction solutions initially containing 0.2 g L−1 FeS2@GO, 128.6 mg L−1 4-CP and 100 mM H2O2 at 25 ± 1 °C, and the removal of 4-CP was further enhanced with increasing FeS2@GO loadings. In the meantime, the FeS2@GO also achieved lower iron leaching and a more complete TOC removal compared with pure synthetic FeS2 without graphene oxide. Furthermore, acetic acid and oxalic acid were identified as the primary products. The remarkable capacity of the FeS2@GO-based Fenton system in removing 4-CP displays its potential application in the treatment of organic compound-contaminated water.