BACKGROUND: Conventional electrochemical oxidation (EO) processes do not easily activate peroxymonosulfate (PMS) and are susceptible to the effects of electrode size, material and large-distance two-dimensional (2D) electrode structures, resulting in low mass transfer efficiency and low electrolytic productivity, limiting their ability to degrade pollutants. It is still a challenge to design and prepare a system and materials to enhance the activation of PMS and the EO process. RESULTS: Co 3 O 4 -loaded carbon felt three-dimensional (3D) electrode material (Co/CF) was prepared and used to construct a 3D electrocatalytic synergistic system (EO-Co/CF-PMS). The system combined the advantages of bipolar electrochemistry, threedimensional electrochemistry and advanced oxidation processes based on sulfate radical (SR-AOPs) to facilitate the activation of PMS for degradation of p-nitrophenol (PNP) in water. In addition, the synergistic system showed excellent pollutant degradation performance, achieving 89.51% PNP degradation in 10 min with an energy consumption of 0.4255 kWh m −3 . After being used for four consecutive cycle experiments, the synergistic system still achieved 83% PNP removal. Besides, the EO process also facilitated the Co cycle, resulting in a continuous and efficient degradation of the pollutants. The effects of experimental parameters (initial pH, PMS dose, and applied voltage) on PNP elimination were determined. The results of a reactive oxygen species scavenging experiment and electron spin resonance analysis showed that •OH, SO 4•− , and 1 O 2 all played a major role in the PNP elimination process.CONCLUSIONS: The research demonstrated that the composite catalyst Co/CF improved the property of the EO process for catalyzing PMS and thus enlarged the practical application of AOPs in pollutant degradation in aqueous solution.