Application of single-atom Fe implanted N-doped carbon material as co-catalyst in the Fenton-like reaction and exploration of its enhanced activity

Due to slow recovery of Fe2+ and a narrow pH range of the Fenton and Fenton-like reactions, a single-atom Fe implanted N-doped carbon material (rGO@NC/SA-Fe) was used as the co-catalyst in the Fe3+/H2O2 system in this paper. This material greatly accelerated the Fe3+/Fe2+ cycle and thus promoted Rhodamine B (RhB) degradation. RhB was almost completely removed even at pH= 7. A systematic comparison was conducted between rGO@NC/SA-Fe and rGO@NC (without Fe). The results proved the vital importance of Fe single atoms, which not only improved the electron conductivity of rGO@NC/SA-Fe, but also promoted the combination of carbon materials and Fe3+ with a higher oxidation potential. Moreover, the enhanced H2O2 adsorption on single-atom Fe sites facilitated the participation of H2O2 in the reaction. In addition, rGO@NC/SA-Fe exhibits excellent catalytic activity in various water bodies. The material still possessed good re-usability and stability after five catalytic cycles, which demonstrated its great application potential in wastewater treatment.