Photo-Fenton efficient degradation of organic pollutants over S-scheme ZnO@NH2-MIL-88B heterojunction established for electron transfer channel

Combining photocatalysts with Fenton technology can improve the catalytic properties of materials and achieve efficient degradation of organic pollutants. However, preparing low-cost catalysts using simple methods remains a challenge. This paper selected a more environmentally friendly and cost-effective semiconductor material, zinc oxide, for the modification of NH2-MIL-88B and prepared a new S-scheme heterojunction photo-Fenton catalyst ZnO@NH2-MIL-88B (ZMFe-x) by a simple solvothermal method. Moreover, the Zn-O-Fe bonds that were formed between the interfaces enabled a fast channel for the photoelectron transport that was created by photoexcitation from the ZnO conduction band to the NH2-MIL-88B valence band. This allowed the ZMFe-x catalysts to have better removal performance for organic pollutants in the photo-Fenton reaction. The dominating role of hydroxyl radicals in the degradation procedure was determined by ESR analysis and free radical trapping experiments, and the degradation mechanisms and pathway of contaminants were predicted by intermediate analysis and DFT calculations. This study provides a stable and effective new strategy for preparing MOFs catalysts for removing various pollutants.