Interface coupling effect in biomass-derived iron sulfide nanomaterials triggering efficient hydrogen peroxide activation

Heng Li; Xiaoying Jin; Qin Li; Zuliang Chen

doi:10.1016/j.jcis.2023.07.079

Interface coupling effect in biomass-derived iron sulfide nanomaterials triggering efficient hydrogen peroxide activation

J Colloid Interface Sci. 2023 Nov 15;650(Pt B):1032-1043. doi: 10.1016/j.jcis.2023.07.079. Epub 2023 Jul 13.

Authors

Heng Li¹, Xiaoying Jin², Qin Li³, Zuliang Chen⁴

Affiliations

¹ Fujian Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350117, Fujian Province, China.
² Fujian Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350117, Fujian Province, China. Electronic address: xyjin@fjnu.edu.cn.
³ School of Engineering and Built Environment, and Queensland Micro-and Nanotechnology Centre, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD 4111, Australia.
⁴ Fujian Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350117, Fujian Province, China. Electronic address: zlchen@fjnu.edu.cn.

PMID: 37459727
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2023.07.079

Abstract

Slow electron migration in iron sulfide nanoparticles (C-FeS NPs) synthesized by co-precipitation severely limits the activation performance of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂). Herein, a biofunctional FeS NPs (P-FeS NPs) derived from Pinus massoniana Lamb biomass, with interface coupling effect, was used for enhanced H₂O₂ activation and norfloxacin (NOR) degradation. It was discovered that P-FeS NPs exhibited superior catalytic activity (100%) compared to C-FeS NPs (53.1%). Fe atoms of FeS NPs and hydroxyl groups (-OH) of Pinus massoniana Lamb biomass were mutually coupled to produce Fe-OH interfacial sites, which significantly increased the generation of multi-reactive species by accelerating the transfer of electrons across interfaces. Additionally, radical quenching tests elucidated that singlet oxygen (¹O₂) (66.6%) played a leading role, while hydroxyl radicals (•OH) (14.5%) and superoxide radicals (•O₂^-) (18.9%) were secondary oxidants. Finally, P-FeS NPs showed a high tolerance to a wide range of pH conditions and could remove 96.4% NOR from wastewater. Overall, this work generates important insights into understanding how green sustainable interfacial catalysts can accelerate catalytic activity.

Keywords: Catalytic oxidation; FeS NPs; Interface coupling effect; Multi-reactive species; NOR.