Degradation of Acid Orange 7 by peroxymonosulfate activated with the recyclable nanocomposites of g-CN modified magnetic carbon.

Carbon-based catalysts have attracted high attention since they are greener and cheaper, while magnetic nanomaterials are very useful in environmental application because of the easy recovery and operation given by the magnetic separability. Therefore, graphitic carbon nitride modified magnetic carbon nanocomposites FeO@C/g-CN was prepared herein for the first time as a new carbon-based catalyst for the activation of peroxymonosulfate (PMS). The catalytic properties of FeO@C/g-CN in activating PMS for the degradation of Acid Orange 7 (AO 7), a model organic pollutant, were investigated. AO 7 degradation efficiency was significantly enhanced after modification of FeO@C with g-CN, and the composite FeO@C/g-CN from loading of 5 wt% g-CN and calcined at 300 °C for 30 min exhibited the best performance. AO 7 could be efficiently decolorized using the "FeO@C/CN (5%) + PSM" system within the pH range of 2-6, and 97% of AO 7 could be removed in 20 min without pH adjustment (pH = 4). Radical quenching and EPR studies confirmed that both sulfate and hydroxyl radicals produced from PMS activation were the active species responsible for the oxidation of AO 7. The degradation mechanism was suggested based on the experimental results and XPS analyses. It was proposed that the CO groups on the carbon surface of FeO@C rather than the CO in g-CN played a key role as the active sites for PMS activation. The catalyst was magnetically separable and displayed good stability and reusability, thus providing a potentially green catalyst for sustainable remediation of organic pollutants.