<p>The remediation of nitroaromatic-contaminated water systems remains a critical environmental challenge, creating the urgent need for cost-effective, non-precious metal catalysts to increase wastewater biodegradability. In this study, we present an Fe/N-functionalized three-dimensional porous carbon (Fe–N–C) catalyst synthesized via a straightforward pyrolysis approach that enables efficient nitrobenzene (NB) degradation via electrochemical and chemical reduction pathways. The high-temperature pyrolysis process facilitates the iron-catalyzed reconstruction of the carbon matrix, resulting in a hierarchically porous structure with increased graphitization and uniformly distributed macrocyclic Fe–N<sub>4</sub> coordination sites. These structural features give the Fe–N–C catalyst exceptional electron transfer kinetics, catalytic activity, and pH adaptability, surpassing conventional graphite (GR) and nitrogen-doped carbons (NPCs) in NB reduction. Systematic evaluation of the electrochemical reduction performance revealed that the Fe–N–C electrode achieved the highest NB removal efficiency. To further assess the versatility of the catalyst, a functionalized Fe–N–C/zero-valent iron (ZVI) composite was engineered by integrating Fe–N–C as a catalytic layer onto the reductant ZVI. Compared with ZVI alone, this composite markedly increased the NB reduction efficiency. These findings provide valuable insights into the electrochemical reduction process of Fe–N–C and new directions for the rational design of efficient nitrobenzene reduction systems.</p>

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Enhanced electron transfer in Fe–N–C catalysts for nitrobenzene reduction: from electrodes to functional materials

  • Biao Wei,
  • Daoqing Liu,
  • Ran Peng,
  • Yi Zhou,
  • Qianwei Li,
  • Huazhang Zhao

摘要

The remediation of nitroaromatic-contaminated water systems remains a critical environmental challenge, creating the urgent need for cost-effective, non-precious metal catalysts to increase wastewater biodegradability. In this study, we present an Fe/N-functionalized three-dimensional porous carbon (Fe–N–C) catalyst synthesized via a straightforward pyrolysis approach that enables efficient nitrobenzene (NB) degradation via electrochemical and chemical reduction pathways. The high-temperature pyrolysis process facilitates the iron-catalyzed reconstruction of the carbon matrix, resulting in a hierarchically porous structure with increased graphitization and uniformly distributed macrocyclic Fe–N4 coordination sites. These structural features give the Fe–N–C catalyst exceptional electron transfer kinetics, catalytic activity, and pH adaptability, surpassing conventional graphite (GR) and nitrogen-doped carbons (NPCs) in NB reduction. Systematic evaluation of the electrochemical reduction performance revealed that the Fe–N–C electrode achieved the highest NB removal efficiency. To further assess the versatility of the catalyst, a functionalized Fe–N–C/zero-valent iron (ZVI) composite was engineered by integrating Fe–N–C as a catalytic layer onto the reductant ZVI. Compared with ZVI alone, this composite markedly increased the NB reduction efficiency. These findings provide valuable insights into the electrochemical reduction process of Fe–N–C and new directions for the rational design of efficient nitrobenzene reduction systems.