Novel α-Fe2O3/MXene nanocomposite as heterogeneous activator of peroxymonosulfate for the degradation of salicylic acid

Abstract The development of non-cobalt-based heterogeneous catalysts with efficient catalytic activity, good stability and nontoxicity is very important for the application of peroxymonosulfate-based advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) in water treatment. In this work, with two dimensional MXene as the catalyst substrate, a novel α-Fe2O3/MXene (FM) nanocomposite was fabricated through a facile solvothermal method. Systematic characterization demonstrated that the MXene substrate could facilitate the size reduction and good dispersion of α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles. The FM nanocomposite achieved high efficiency and stability towards activating peroxymonosulfate (PMS) to produce free radicals for the degradation of salicylic acid (SA) in aqueous solution. The operating parameters, including catalyst dosage, PMS dosage, SA concentration and initial pH value, were evaluated and analysed. The co-existence of sulfate radicals (SO4 —) and hydroxyl radicals ( OH) was confirmed using electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy and radical scavenger tests, while SO4 —was identified as the main reactive species in the FM/PMS catalytic system. The possible mechanisms for the electron transfer and radical generation during the process of PMS activation by the FM nanocomposite are further investigated using XPS and in situ Raman analysis. The results provide an avenue for rationally constructing and developing alternative catalysts for the treatment of organics in wastewater.