Meng Ziyi, Wilsey Madeleine K, Müller Astrid M
Materials Science Program, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, 14627, United States.
Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, 14627, United States.
ChemSusChem. 2025 May 5;18(9):e202402093. doi: 10.1002/cssc.202402093. Epub 2025 Jan 16.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are extremely stable chemicals that are essential for modern life and decarbonization technologies. Yet PFAS are persistent pollutants that are harmful to human health. Hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (GenX), a replacement for the PFAS chemical perfluorooctanoic acid, continues to pollute waterways. In this study, we report the complete defluorination of GenX through electrocatalysis in aqueous LiOH electrolytes, utilizing high surface area anodes consisting of pulsed laser in liquid synthesized [NiFe]-(OH)₂ nanocatalysts on hydrophilic carbon fiber paper. Additional experiments with industrial nickel-iron alloy demonstrated exceptional stability for >100 hours. Including a brief interval of reversed polarity in pulsed electrolysis and optimizing the pulse train sequence enabled the complete defluorination of GenX. Our facile approach employs only nonprecious materials, does not require bisulfate or other auxiliary chemical agents that are consumed, and thus provides a promising strategy for alleviating the environmental impact of PFAS pollutants.
全氟和多氟烷基物质（PFAS）是极其稳定的化学物质，对现代生活和脱碳技术至关重要。然而，PFAS是持久性污染物，对人体健康有害。六氟环氧丙烷二聚酸（GenX）作为PFAS化学品全氟辛酸的替代品，仍在污染水道。在本研究中，我们报告了在LiOH水性电解质中通过电催化实现GenX的完全脱氟，使用的高表面积阳极由在亲水性碳纤维纸上通过液相脉冲激光合成的[NiFe]-(OH)₂纳米催化剂组成。用工业镍铁合金进行的额外实验表明其在超过100小时内具有出色的稳定性。在脉冲电解中加入短暂的反向极性间隔并优化脉冲序列能够实现GenX的完全脱氟。我们的简便方法仅使用非贵金属材料，不需要消耗的硫酸氢盐或其他辅助化学试剂，因此为减轻PFAS污染物对环境的影响提供了一种有前景的策略。
