Heterogeneous Fenton-like catalysts of tetranitro iron phthalocyanine@Fe3O4@fly ash composites for fast decomposition of environmental contaminants

• DOI: 10.1007/s42768-024-00214-1
• Publication Date: 2025-03-03T15:04:07Z
• Authors: Dapeng Li; Peng Zhang; Yang Jin; Qing Li; Xinyuan Li; Ruirui Chang; Ruoxi Ma; Lin Yan; Suxiang Ge; Juntao Ma

Abstract Using fly ash (FA) solid wastes as economical carriers to construct Fenton-like catalytic composites with additional functions is more practical than the use of a single catalyst. Understanding the structure and properties of catalysts and carriers is vital to improve performance. Tetranitro iron phthalocyanine (TNFePc) is a highly active molecular catalyst, whose immobilization and Fenton-like heterogeneous catalysis remain unclear. In this study, magnetically recyclable composites of TNFePc@Fe3O4@FA were successfully fabricated. Further, Fe3O4 nanocrystals decorated on FA surfaces could be used as special functional layer for composite recycling and simultaneous in situ TNFePc synthesis. Peroxides of H2O2, KHSO5, and tert-butyl hydrogen could be effectively activated by composites and transformed into highly reactive radicals. Moreover, molecular oxygen could be activated as well. Model pollutants, methylene blue and oxytetracycline, could be synergistically degraded by the radical oxidation of superoxide, hydroxyl, alkoxy, and sulfate radicals and non-radical oxidation of high-valent iron-oxo species of TNPcFeIV=O. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first design of FA-based composites with dual function, Fenton-like heterogeneous catalysis and magnetic recyclability, for environmental decontamination.

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