A one-step solvothermal method was exploited to synthesize blue, yellow and red carbon dots with high quantum yield by altering the corresponding reaction solvent.
High-performance
and robust catalysts act as core drivers for advanced
oxidation technologies for decontamination of water resources. In
this study, we used a facile strategy to prepare magnetic and N-doped
carbon nanotubes with cobalt encapsulation (Co–N@CNTs) to catalyze
ozone for decomposition of aqueous organic pollutants. By regulating
the thermal conditions during the synthesis, the derived Co–N@CNTs
manifested maneuvered adsorption capabilities. The embedded Co nanoparticles
(NPs) not only afforded carbon nanotubes with a magnetic property
but also significantly boosted catalytic ozonation due to the synergistic
coupling of the Co interface and N-doped graphitic layer. Formation
of such a coordinating structure accelerated electron transfer at
the interface and increased the conductivity of surface carbon to
coordinate a redox reaction. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations
and experimental evidence confirmed that cobalt coupled with graphene
with pyridinic N dopants was the most favorable structure, which remarkably
enhanced ozone adsorption and its dissociation to generate reactive
oxygen species (ROS). Intriguingly, the catalytic ozonation underwent
different nonradical regimes dependent on the molecular structures
of target organics. In terms of ROS, surface-adsorbed atomic oxygen
(*Oad) was responsible for degradation of oxalic acid,
while phenolics were primarily degraded by O3 molecules
and singlet oxygen (1O2). This study provides
a cost-efficient and recyclable carbocatalyst for wastewater decontamination
and new insights into the structure–functional relationships
in carbon-based advanced oxidation processes.
Carbon-based catalytic ozonation is state-of-the-art technology with high oxidation capabilities for wastewater remediation, taking advantage of the synergies of direct ozone oxidation and the generated reactive oxygen species (ROS). Replacing...
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