Self-Assembled Nano-FeO(OH)/Reduced Graphene Oxide Aerogel as a Reusable Catalyst for Photo-Fenton Degradation of Phenolic Organics

Fabrication of visible-light-responsive, macroscopic photo-Fenton catalysts is crucial for wastewater treatment. Here, we report a facile fabrication method for nano-FeO(OH)/reduced graphene oxide aerogels (FeO(OH)-rGA) equipped with a stable macrostructure and a high efficiency for catalytic degradation of phenolic organics. The structure of FeO(OH)/rGA was characterized by SEM, TEM, XPS, Raman analysis. The FeO(OH) is the main constituent of ferrihydrite, which dispersed in the graphene aerogel with a particle size of ∼3 nm can efficiently activate H₂O₂ to generate abundant •OH. The excellent performance of the FeO(OH)/rGO aerogel was specifically exhibited by the outstanding catalyst activity, sustained mineralization and eminent reaction rate for phenolic organics. A synergy effect between FeO(OH) and graphene aerogel was observed, which came from the extensive electron transfer channels and active sites of the 3D graphene aerogel and the visible-light-activated FeO(OH) and H₂O₂ consistently producing •OH. The FeO(OH)/rGA could be reused for 10 cycles without a reduction in the catalytic activity and had less iron leaching, which guarantees that the active ingredient remains in the gel. Moreover, the FeO(OH)/rGA induced photo-Fenton degradation of 4-chlorophenol under near neutral pH conditions because the tight connection of FeO(OH) with the rGO aerogel results in less iron leaching and prevents the generation of Fe(OH)₃. The 4-chlorophenol was completely removed in 80 min with a 0.074 min^-1 rate constant in the FeO(OH)-rGA/H₂O₂ photo-Fenton system under visible-light irradiation, and mineralization rate was up to 80% after 6 h. Oxidative •OH can continuously attack 4-chlorophenol, 2,4,6-trichlorophenol and bisphenol A without selectivity. These results lay a foundation for highly effective and durable photo-Fenton degradation of phenolic organics at near neutral pH and sufficient activation of H₂O₂ for future applications.