Catalysis Enhancement of Co 3 O 4 through the Epitaxial Growth of Inert ZnO in Peroxymonosulfate Activation: The Catalytic Mechanism of Surface Hydroxyls in Singlet Oxygen Generation

As a prevalent Co-contained catalyst, modified Co3O4 has been widely utilized to activate peroxymonosulfate (PMS) for organic wastewater treatment due to its affordability and accessibility. While the catalysis enhancement of Co3O4 modified by catalytic inert species is often attributed to the formation of oxygen vacancies (OVs), the underlying mechanism beyond OVs remains unclear. Herein, we designed a one-pot pyrolysis process to synthesize ZnO/Co3O4 heterojunctions featuring Zn–Co tetrahedral coordination on their interface. In the PMS-advanced oxidation process for methylene blue (MB), the epitaxial growth of inert ZnO on the surface of Co3O4 led to an 88-fold increase in catalytic activity, facilitating…

• NN
  National Natural Science Foundation of China

  Award: 22271229
• NS
  Natural Science Foundation of Shaanxi Province

  Award: 2023-JC-YB-093
• ED
  Education Department of Shaanxi Province

  Award: 23JC004