Ultra-efficient perfluorooctanoic acid capture enabled by a novel MOF-derived Cu/Zn bimetallic spherical porous carbon

The efficient removal of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is challenging, as conventional monometallic MOFs and powdered activated carbons suffer from limited active sites, poor stability, or unfavorable morphologies. Herein, a novel spherical porous carbon (SPC) derived from Cu/Zn-BTC bimetallic MOF was synthesized via glucose-assisted hydrothermal carbonization and high-temperature pyrolysis. Featuring high sphericity, uniform pore channels, and abundant bimetallic active sites, SPC exhibits enhanced PFOA adsorption performance and water stability. The optimized SPC (5-(Cu/Zn-BTC)) achieves a maximum adsorption capacity of 480 mg/g (surpassing most reported materials), with pseudo-second-order kinetics and spontaneous exothermic adsorption behavior. Synergistic mechanisms dominate the process: Cu2+/Zn2+-carboxylate coordination (XPS verified), acidic-condition electrostatic attraction (Zeta potential supported), and hydrophobic interactions. Notably, SPC retains high adsorption efficiency after five regeneration cycles due to robust structural stability. This work exhibits certain potential application value in the field of PFOA removal from aqueous systems.