Selective degradation of pollutants in the Mn-NG/PMS system: The crucial role of surface reactive Mn(IV) species

The combination of transition metal oxides with carbon-based materials is a promising strategy for constructing efficient catalysts for peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation to degrade aqueous organic contaminants. However, the complex heterostructure of the composites often hinders the identification of the actual reactive species responsible for pollutant degradation. In this study, we integrate Mn3O4 into N-doped graphite (NG) to elucidate the mechanisms involved in the Mn-NG composite mediated PMS activation process. The Mn-NG/PMS system shows excellent performance in oxidizing bisphenol A (BPA) over a wide pH range (3.4 to 9.4) and in the presence of co-existing substrates. Mn sites in Mn3O4 are responsible for the activation of PMS, and the NG matrix enhances the dispersion of Mn in the Mn-NG composite. Multiple experimental results indicate that free radicals (i.e., hydroxyl radicals (HO center dot) and sulfate radicals (SO4 center dot-)) are not generated, and surface reactive Mn(IV) is proposed as the primary reactive species for BPA oxidation. This study provides new insights into understanding the role of Mn oxides in carbon-based composites in PMS activation for degradation of organic pollutants.