Peroxymonosulfate (PMS)-based advanced oxidation process
has been
demonstrated as an effective solution to degrade antibiotics present
in wastewater. Developing robust catalysts is the key to boost PMS
activation for reactive species generation. Herein, a surface nitrogen-doped
carbon (NC) decoration strategy is proposed to reconstruct Co catalysts
supported on mesoporous carbon (MC) for boosting PMS activation to
degrade tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH). High-resolution transmission
electron microscopy and N2 sorption isotherm measurements
confirmed that some Co nanoparticles supported on MC could migrate
and get stabilized on the surface of the NC layer during high-temperature
carbonization. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis indicates
the formation of various active sites (including Co–N
x
, graphitic N, and lattice oxygen) after surface
NC decoration. These sites facilitate PMS activation and TCH degradation.
The Co/MC@NC-900 catalyst (prepared at a carbonization temperature
of 900 °C) exhibited the highest degradation performance (∼100%
TCH removal efficiency in 12 min and apparent degradation rate constant
of >0.25 min–1), outperforming the control Co/MC
catalyst (∼55% TCH removal and degradation rate constant of
∼0.12 min–1). Mechanism studies confirmed
the coexistence of radical and nonradical degradation pathways in
the system under study. Particularly, Co/MC@NC-900 enables SO4
•–, •OH, and 1O2 formation
simultaneously, thus exhibiting considerably improved TCH degradation
efficiency. The proposed surface NC decoration strategy could enable
the development of robust catalysts toward efficient PMS activation
for antibiotic degradation.