Imidazolate Metal–Organic Framework‐Derived Nitrogen‐Doped Carbon for Efficient Persulfate Activation Toward Phenol Degradation

ABSTRACT

Persulfate‐based advanced oxidation processes (PS‐AOPs) have shown great potential for degrading refractory organic pollutants. However, the widely used persulfates exhibit limited activity at room temperature without efficient activation. Imidazolate metal–organic framework (MOF)‐derived nitrogen‐doped carbon materials offer distinct advantages in catalysis on account of their porous structures and abundant active sites. In this study, a nitrogen‐doped carbon material (ZIF‐67‐NC) was successfully synthesized via pyrolysis of ZIF‐67 combined with melamine. The resulting catalyst exhibited a hierarchical porous structure and was enriched with metallic Co nanoparticles, Co─N _x active sites, as well as pyridinic/graphitic nitrogen functionalities. The catalytic performance of these materials in activating peroxymonosulfate (PMS) for phenol degradation in wastewater was evaluated, and the effects of pH, PMS concentration, and catalyst dosage on the degradation efficiency were systematically investigated. Under optimal conditions (pH = 7, PMS mass = 0.8 g, and catalyst mass = 15 mg), the phenol removal efficiency reached 92.0%. This work presents a viable and efficient strategy for the treatment of phenol‐containing wastewater using MOF‐derived nitrogen‐doped carbon materials.