Nanoarchitectured metal-organic frameworks-derived hollow carbon nanofiber filter for advanced oxidation process

Carbon materials, especially N-doped carbon materials, have attracted great attentions as one of the most efficient and eco-friendly catalysts for advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). Among various carbon materials, N-doped carbon materials with one-dimensional (1D) hollow structure were especially reported of their superior catalytic performance. A complex synthesis process of 1D hollow carbon however remains as a major challenge in meeting a growing demand for it as a superior carbon-based catalyst. Herein, we demonstrate a facile strategy to synthesize 1D hollow carbon nanofibers (HCNFs) in a scalable manner. In this study, zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8)/polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fibers were fabricated via electrospinning, and subsequent pyrolysis of the as-prepared ZIF-8/PAN composite nanofibers produced HCNFs. With excellent structural advantages and N-doped composition, HCNFs exhibited a remarkable level of catalytic degradation of tetracycline (TC) in the peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation system. The electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and radical quenching experiments results showed that non-radical process was largely responsible for the enhanced catalytic activity of HCNF-PMS system in TC degradation. Furthermore, the HCNFs also showed a good mechanical flexibility. The catalytic device was then constructed to explore potential applications of HCNF. This study would therefore guide current research on carbon-based catalysts using PMS activation system for environmental remedy into the next level.