Currently, catalysts with core–shell structures
have an
important role in catalytic performance and practical applications,
but how to simplify the preparation method and a reasonable explanation
of the activation mechanism are still lacking. In this work, we obtained
highly dispersed and ultrafine laser-induced nitrogen-doped graphene-wrapped
iron cobaltate (LI-FeCo2O4@NDG) catalysts by
one-step carbonization of iron cobalt metal–organic framework
(FeCo-MOF) precursors using a CO2 laser annealing technique
under ambient conditions. An LI-FeCo2O4@NDG/peroxymonosulfate
(PMS) system achieved a rapid degradation of sulfamethoxazole (SMX)
with 92.2% degradation efficiency in 6 min. Meanwhile, LI-FeCo2O4@NDG exhibited low metal leaching (Co, 0.155
mg/L; Fe, 0.008 mg/L) and a high reaction rate constant (k = 0.413 min–1). Most importantly, the ability
of the catalyst could achieve nearly 100% utilization and conversion
of PMS to singlet oxygen (1O2). The activation
mechanism may be explained that the electron pool and interfacial
electric field formed by the LI-FeCo2O4@NDG
with the core–shell structure could accelerate the electron
supply and transfer to the PMS, facilitating the activation of PMS
self-decomposition to produce more 1O2. Overall,
this work is expected to open a new avenue for the construction of
core–shell structures and a new insight for revealing its activation
mechanism of PMS.