Enhanced Fenton degradation of methylene blue dye using CuFe2O4/Fe2O3/CHCP heterogeneous catalyst for superior H2O2 activation

The Fenton degradation process has attracted significant attention as a promising method for treating organic dye-contaminated wastewater. However, its industrial application is limited by unsatisfactory catalytic performance. In this study, we synthesized a novel heterogeneous CuFe 2 O 4 /Fe 2 O 3 /C HCP Fenton catalyst by calcining a Fe/Cu-containing hyper-crosslinked polymer (HCP) and investigated its efficacy in degrading methylene blue (MB) dye pollutants. The degradation experiments using MB revealed that the optimized CuFe 2 O 4 /Fe 2 O 3 /C HCP -2/H 2 O 2 catalytic system achieved an impressive degradation efficiency of 97 % (k=0.2374 min −1 within 14 min, along with a total organic carbon conversion efficiency of 58.5 %. This degradation rate was approximately six times higher than that of Fe 2 O 3 /C HCP /H 2 O 2 (41 %; k=0.0365 min⁻¹) catalytic system, highlighting its superior degradation capabilities. Additionally, CuFe 2 O 4 /Fe 2 O 3 /C HCP -2 exhibited a wide operational pH range (pH 3–9) and maintained high cycling efficiency even after five successive recycles, indicating robust stability and reusability. The enhanced Fenton catalytic performance of CuFe 2 O 4 /Fe 2 O 3 /C HCP -2 can be attributed to the high specific surface area and porosity of the hyper-crosslinked polymer precursor, which ensures uniform dispersion of Fe/Cu elements, significantly improving catalytic efficiency and stability. This study provides a feasible strategy to enhance Fenton degradation activity, aiding in the removal of organic dye pollutants from aqueous environments and purification systems.