Bimetallic catalyst with dual-reaction-center and oxygen vacancies for synergistically boosting peracetic acid activation and decontamination via ¹O₂ generation

Area of Science:

• Environmental Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Catalysis

Background:

• Peracetic acid (PAA)-based advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) offer environmentally friendly water treatment but suffer from limited efficiency due to predominant radical generation.
• Existing catalytic systems for PAA activation often generate undesirable radicals, hindering practical water decontamination performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel catalyst for selective singlet oxygen (¹O₂) generation from PAA activation.
• To enhance the efficiency and stability of PAA-based AOPs for water treatment applications.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of an Mn-doped Cu₂(OH)₃Cl catalyst supported on hexagonal boron nitride (Mn-Cu₂(OH)₃Cl@BN).
• Characterization of the catalyst's dual reaction centers (DRCs) and oxygen vacancies (OVs).
• Evaluation of the Mn-Cu₂(OH)₃Cl@BN/PAA system for tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH) degradation.

Main Results:

• The Mn-Cu₂(OH)₃Cl@BN catalyst demonstrated selective ¹O₂ generation from PAA activation.
• The Mn doping enhanced Cu site electron density, improving PAA binding and activation.
• The composite catalyst exhibited a 91-fold increase in degradation kinetic constant for TCH compared to the undoped catalyst.
• The system maintained over 85% degradation efficiency after five cycles, showing good stability.

Conclusions:

• The developed Mn-Cu₂(OH)₃Cl@BN catalyst effectively utilizes PAA for water treatment via selective ¹O₂ generation.
• The catalyst's design, featuring DRCs and OVs, significantly boosts catalytic activity and stability.
• This innovation provides a foundation for developing low-carbon PAA-based AOPs for sustainable water decontamination.