Constructing ultralow-loading Cu single atoms/Fe2O3 particles on Nb2C MXenes for efficient utilization of atomic H to boost electrochemical debromination

Bromate is a commonly identified carcinogenic and genotoxic disinfection byproduct in water. Electrochemical debromination is an environmentally friendly and effective approach but it often suffers the limited reducing atomic H (H*) ability and high metal catalyst dosage. In this study, a unique composite catalyst comprised of ultra-low loading Cu single atoms (0.016 wt%) and Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles supported on a Nb 2 C MXene (denoted as Cu 0.2 /Fe 0.1 /Nb 2 C) was synthesized by one-step high-temperature molten salt method. The Cu 0.2 /Fe 0.1 /Nb 2 C significantly outperformed the Nb 2 C, Cu 0.2 /Nb 2 C and Fe 0.1 /Nb 2 C counterparts in the electrochemical debromination with a 94.2 % removal efficiency of bromate. It is revealed that the introducing of Cu single atoms, efficiently promotes the adsorption of H* and inhibition of competitive H 2 evolution. The incorporation of Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles significantly increased the electronic metal-support interaction effect between the metal components and Nb 2 C, thereby forming a noticeable electronic cloud bridge to facilitate efficient charge transfer. Ultimately, the synergistic interplay between Cu single atoms and Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles plays a crucial role in achieving the remarkable removal performance of bromate. This work not only presents a significant instance of a synergistic catalyst involving metal single atoms and metal nanoparticles for effective electrochemical debromination but also advances the understanding of the electronic metal-support interaction.