Generation of reactive chlorine species via molecular oxygen activation on a copper chloride loaded hydrothermal carbonaceous carbon for advanced oxidation process

In this study, we first achieve effective generation of reactive chlorine species (RCS) by molecular oxygen (O2) activation on a copper chloride loaded hydrothermal carbonaceous carbon (CuCl-HTCC). O2 can be adsorbed and activated by the cuprous (Cu(I)) from the CuCl-HTCC, and then converted into superoxide radical-hydrogen peroxide-hydroxyl radical, and chloride on the surface of CuCl-HTCC can be converted to RCS. This system holds two advantages: (1) plenty of Cu(I) exists in CuCl-HTCC can contribute to O2 activation heterogeneously. Its efficiency is much higher than that of homogeneous reactions in which Cu(I) cannot exist stably; (2) this process is a rapid heterogeneous process. Cu(I) can contribute to RCS generation with very fast kinetic through multi-steps. As a result, 10 mg/L of pollutants like phenol or ibuprofen were almost completely degraded in 120 min. This is a new and efficient method for generating RCS through the O2 activation process.