Carbon nanoplating stabilization of hierarchical MXene@C@MnO2 catalyst for effective Fenton-like reaction

MXenes materials are burgeoning candidates for advanced water purification. However, the self-restacking and surface passivation of MXenes severely hamper the utilization of their electronic properties and surface reactivity. Herein, we employed the strategy of carbon nanoplating stabilization of MXenes for not only effectively stabilizing the structure of MXenes but also providing nucleation growth of MnO2. The MXene@C@MnO2-activated PMS system was able to degrade ~ 100% of bisphenol A (BPA) (20 mg/L) within 4 min with the turnover frequency (TOF) of 8.14 min-1. Specifically, the generation of superoxide radicals by activation of peroxymonosulfate (PMS) through reversible redox cycling between Mn(IV) and Mn(III) cations was regarded as the crucial driver of BPA removal. The scale-up experiment in actual water bodies achieved more than 90% BPA removal at 1200-bed volumes with stable catalytic properties during 20 h continuous operation. This work offers a potential macroscopic MXene-based nanohybrids for advanced oxidation processes.