Nitrogen-doped
carbon materials attract broad interest as catalysts
for peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation toward an efficient, nonradical
advanced oxidation process. However, synthesis of N-rich carbocatalysts
is challenging because of the thermal instability of desirable nitrogenous
species (pyrrolic, pyridinic, and graphitic N). Furthermore, the relative
importance of different nitrogenous configurations (and associated
activation mechanisms) are unclear. Herein, we report a “coating-pyrolysis”
method to synthesize porous 2D N-rich nanocarbon materials (PCN-x) derived from dopamine and g-C3N4 in different weight proportions. PCN-0.5 calcined at 800 °C
had the highest surface area (759 m2/g) and unprecedentedly
high N content (18.5 at%), and displayed the highest efficiency for
4-chlorophenol (4-CP) degradation via PMS activation. A positive correlation
was observed between 4-CP oxidation rates and the total pyridinic
and pyrrolic N content. These N dopants serve as Lewis basic sites
to facilitate 4-CP adsorption on the PCN surface and subsequent electron-transfer
from 4-CP to PMS, mediated by surface-bound complexes (PMS–PCN-0.5).
The main degradation products were chlorinated oligomers (mostly dimeric
biphenolic compounds), which adsorbed to and deteriorated the carbocatalyst.
Overall, this study offers new insights for rational design of nitrogen-enriched
carbocatalysts, and advances mechanistic understanding of the critical
role of N species during nonradical PMS activation.