An N,S-Anchored Single-Atom Catalyst Derived from Domestic Waste for Environmental Remediation
Peixin Cui, Qiang Yang, Cun Liu, Yu Wang, Yu Wang, Guodong Fang, Dionysios D. Dionysiou, Tongliang Wu, Yiyi Zhou, Junxiang Ren, Hongbo Hou, Yujun Wang, Yujun Wang
Abstract
As the smallest entities in catalysts, single-atom catalysts (SACs) exhibit superior atomic efficiency, advanced activity, and high selectivity. However, their practical applications are inhibited due to their high preparation costs. Here, we developed a novel cobalt–carbon-based SAC derived from the mild pyrolysis of spent coffee grounds soaked in Co (Co-CGBC), in which cobalt atoms atomically disperse and coordinate with the N and S atoms in the carbon substance, as identified by X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectroscopy combined with high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM). Co-CGBC is inexpensive and exhibits high efficiency in the activation of peroxymonosulfate (PMS) to degrade a wide range of organic pollutants with a degradation efficiency of 90–100%. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations confirm that the sulfur in the Co–N3S1 active site plays a crucial role in reducing the adsorption energy of PMS and facilitating electron transfer. This work supplies new opportunities to synthesize cost-effective SACs for application in environmental remediation.