A novel Fe/Mo co-catalyzed graphene-based nanocomposite to activate peroxymonosulfate for highly efficient degradation of organic pollutants.

A novel 3D α-FeOOH@MoS/rGO nanocomposite was successfully fabricated by a simple in situ hydrothermal method. It is a highly efficient heterogeneous catalyst in activation of peroxymonosulfate (PMS) for rapid degradation of rhodamine B (RhB), with 99.9% of RhB removed within 20 min. The introduction of rGO contributes to uniform dispersion and sufficient contact of α-FeOOH and MoS nanosheets. Highly active Mo(IV) enhances the reduction of Fe(III), improves Fe(III)/Fe(II) conversion and promotes the generation of O1, which ensures an improved catalytic activity. MoS/rGO hybrid can effectively solve the problem of material reunion and make α-FeOOH exhibit excellent catalytic performance. The α-FeOOH@MoS-rGO/PMS system is a co-catalytic system based on the active components of α-FeOOH and MoS. The main reactive oxygen species in the α-FeOOH@MoS-rGO/PMS system are O1, SO and ⋅O, which contribute to a high reactivity over a wide range of pH (5-9). Besides, this system is highly resistant to anions (Cl, SO) and natural organic matter (humic acid), and can be widely used for degradation of common organic pollutants. The α-FeOOH@MoS/rGO is a promising Fenton-like catalyst for refractory organic wastewater treatment.