Titanate supported cobalt catalysts for photochemical oxidation of phenol under visible light irradiations

Key role of Fe(VI)-activated Bi2WO6 in the photocatalytic oxidation of sulfonamides: Mediated electron transfer mechanism

The widespread use of sulfonamides (SAs) in animals and human infections has raised significant concerns regarding their presence in ambient waterways and potential for inducing antimicrobial resistance. Herein, we report on the capacity of ferrate (VI) (Fe^VIO₄^2-, Fe(VI)) to facilitate the photocatalytic degradation of sulfamethazine (SMT) via bismuth tungstate (Bi₂WO₆, BWO) under blue LED light (Vis/BWO/Fe(VI)) exposure, at rates that were 45-fold faster than BWO photocatalysis. Both the stepwise and time-series addition of Fe(VI) contributed to the degradation. Multiple lines of evidence confirmed that the common reactive species (RSs) in BWO-based photocatalytic systems and Fe(VI)-involved systems (e.g., •OH/h⁺, O₂^•-, ¹O₂ and Fe(V)/Fe(IV)) played subtle roles in our study system. Herein, for the first time, it was discovered that the precursor complex (BWO-Fe(V)/Fe(IV)* )) was the main contributor to induce electron transfer of SAs through the "conductive bridge" effect of BWO. The studied system was able to effectively degrade SMT in synthetic hydrolyzed urine (SHU) with low interference from background substances in water. This work not only offers a novel facilitation strategy for BWO, but also holds a great application prospect for contamination remediation in urine.

Analysis of electric field efficacy and remediation performance of triclosan contaminated soil by Co-Fe/al oxidation electrodes coupled with peroxymonosulfate (PMS) in an ECGO system with diversified electrode configurations

Triclosan (TCS) is commonly used as a biocide against bacterial and fungal infections. The overuse of TCS has resulted in its abundance in the natural environment. Sulfate radicals have been used for in-situ groundwater remediation because of their superior performance. In this study, Co-Fe/Al oxidation electrodes were prepared to investigate the effect of electrode configurations on TCS remediation using electrokinetic geooxidation (ECGO) technology coupled with peroxymonosulfate (PMS) in a soil system. The Co-Fe/Al electrodes catalyzed the activity of PMS by solid-phase Co²⁺ to produce sulfate radicals. Four electrode configurations, named G1-G4, applying a potential gradient of 2 V/cm, were conducted for ten days in all experiments. Results showed that 14.2-66.2% of TCS remediation efficiency was observed. TCS was mainly degraded by the Co-Fe/Al electrode and sulfate radicals rather than being removed by the electroosmotic flow. The degradation efficiencies of the G4 system (66.0%) and the G2 or G3 system (36.6% or 64.4%, respectively) were much higher than that of the G1 system. (13.5%). Three regions (effective, ineffective, and enhanced) were classified to explore the effect of the electric field on TCS remediation. The arrangement of the honeycomb cells was related to the area of enhanced region in the system, in which the superior remediation performance of the TCS was found. Therefore, TCS remediation performance is highly related to the electrode configuration and honeycomb arrangement in the system. The seven-unit honeycomb system (G4) demonstrated a linear and centralized arrangement, resulting in fast migration and excellent degradation of the TCS.

Heterogeneous Activation of Peroxymonosulfate by a Spinel CoAl2O4 Catalyst for the Degradation of Organic Pollutants

Bimetallic catalysts have significantly contributed to the chemical community, especially in environmental science. In this work, a CoAl2O4 spinel bimetal oxide was synthesized by a facile co-precipitation method and used for the degradation of organic pollutants through peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation. Compared with Co3O4, the as-prepared CoAl2O4 possesses a higher specific surface area and a larger pore volume, which contributes to its becoming increasingly conducive to the degradation of organic pollutants. Under optimal conditions (calcination temperature: 500 °C, catalyst: 0.1 g/L, and PMS: 0.1 g/L), the as-prepared CoAl2O4 catalyst could degrade over 99% of rhodamine B (RhB) at a degradation rate of 0.048 min−1, which is 2.18 times faster than Co3O4 (0.022 min−1). The presence of Cl− could enhance RhB degradation in the CoAl2O4/PMS system, while HCO3− and CO32− inhibit RhB degradation. Furthermore, the considerable reusability and universality of CoAl2O4 were testified. Through quenching tests, 1O2 and SO4•− were identified as the primary reactive species in RhB degradation. The toxicity evaluation verified that the degraded solution exhibited lower biological toxicity than the initial RhB solution. This study provides new prospects in the design of cost-effective and stable cobalt-based catalysts and promotes the application of PMS-based advanced oxidation processes for refractory wastewater treatment.

Nanoarchitecturing TiO2/NiCr2O4 p-n heterojunction photocatalysts for visible-light-induced activation of persulfate to remove tetracycline hydrochloride

Herein, TiO₂/NiCr₂O₄ nanocomposites with p-n heterojunctions were synthesized via a refluxing method and used with peroxydisulfate (PDS) to produce extensive reactive radicals. Textural, optical, photoelectrochemical, structural, and morphological properties of the prepared materials were extensively investigated. After adding 1.48 mM PDS, the removal rate constant of tetracycline hydrochloride (TH) over the TiO₂/NiCr₂O₄ (20%)/PDS system was almost 20.5, 7.24, and 5.91-times as high as the pristine TiO₂, TiO₂/PDS, and TiO₂/NiCr₂O₄ (20%) samples, respectively. Therefore, the synergistic effect of PDS and heterogeneous photocatalysis remarkably impacted the degradation reaction of TH. It was proposed that all h⁺, ^•O₂^-, ^•OH, and SO₄^•- contributed to the degradation reaction. According to the formation of heterojunction between n-TiO₂, and p-NiCr₂O₄ semiconductors, a plausible mechanism for removal of different contaminants in the TiO₂/NiCr₂O₄/PDS system was discussed.

Characterization of TiO2 and an as-prepared TiO2/SiO2 composite and their photocatalytic performance for the reduction of low-concentration N-NO3- in water

Excessive N-NO₃^- water pollution has become a widespread and serious problem that threatens human and ecosystem health. Here, a TiO₂/SiO₂ composite photocatalyst was prepared via the sol-gel/hydrothermal method. TiO₂ and TiO₂/SiO₂ were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-Vis differential reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), Fourier infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Afterward, the photocatalytic performance of TiO₂ and TiO₂/SiO₂ to reduce low nitrate concentrations (30 mgN L^-1) under UV light was evaluated and the effects of different factors on this process were investigated, after which the reaction conditions were optimized. Removal rates of up to 99.93% were achieved at a hole scavenger (formic acid) concentration of 0.6 mL L^-1, a CO₂ flow rate of 0.1 m³ h^-1, and a TiO₂ concentration of 0.9 g L^-1. In contrast, TiO₂/SiO₂ at a 1.4 g L^-1 concentration and a TiO₂ load rate of 40% achieved a removal rate of 83.48%, but with more than 98% of nitrogen generation rate. NO₂^- and NH₄⁺ were the minor products, whereas N₂ was the main product.

Heterogeneous activation of persulfate by Bi2MoO6-CuS composite for efficient degradation of orange II under visible light

Here in, a special catalytic system of potassium persulfate (K₂S₂O₈, PS) activated by Bi₂MoO₆-CuS composite was established for the orange II (OII) degradation under visible light. The Bi₂MoO₆-CuS composite was synthesized by a two-step hydrothermal and solvothermal methods. The structure, morphology, light absorption and photocatalytic properties of the composite were respectively characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-vis DRS). The removal efficiency of OII degradation in the Bi₂MoO₆-CuS/PS/vis system reached to 98% within 80 min, which was much higher than that of either Bi₂MoO₆ or CuS alone. A feasible mechanism analysis of OII degradation was proposed and validated by simple classical quenching experiments and electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy. The high removal efficiency by the nanocomposite could be attributed to highly active species of O₂^·-, ·OH and SO₄^•- radicals in the Bi₂MoO₆-CuS photocatalytic oxidation system. Moreover, the composite material retained its activation performance even after 5 degradation cycles, which suggested its high stability.

Efficient degradation of orange II by core shell CoFe2O4-CeO2 nanocomposite with the synergistic effect from sodium persulfate

Novel core shell CoFe₂O₄-CeO₂ (CoFe-Ce) nanocomposite was synthesized and investigated as an efficient photocatalyst to activate sodium persulfate (Na2S2O8, PS) for orange Ⅱ (OⅡ) degradation. The CoFe-Ce nanocomposite was successfully designed and synthesized by a facile hydrothermal reaction followed by calcination and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-Vis DRS), and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). Compared with pure CoFe₂O₄ and CeO₂, the photocatalytic efficiency of CoFe-Ce nanocomposite was significantly improved. Under the irradiation of visible light, the catalytic degradation efficiency of orange II could reach to 98.5% within 60 min. Additionally, the as-prepared material could be recycled for at least five times using magnetic separation ability of the nanocomposite, and during the cycling the dye degradation rate was almost unchanged. The active species produced during the degradation were studied by classical quenching experiments, and the different types of free radicals produced in the system were further confirmed by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. This novel nanocomposite is expected to have potential application for degradation of organic pollutants in wastewater by utilizing solar energy.

The photocatalytic performance and mechanism of magnetically retrievable Z-scheme Cr2O3–Fe3O4/C hetero-nanostructure polyhedra

Magnetically retrievable Cr2O3–Fe3O4/C hetero-nanostructure polyhedra have been fabricated. The formation of Z-scheme Cr2O3–Fe3O4/C obviously improves the visible light absorption and promotes the separation of photogenerated charge carriers.

Visible-light-driven activation of sodium persulfate for accelerating orange II degradation using ZnMn2O4 photocatalyst

A special catalytic system was obtained by using ZnMn₂O₄ (ZMO) materials to activate Na₂S₂O₈ and catalytically degrade organic dye orange II under visible light irradiation. The ZMO nanoparticles were prepared by a simple one-step method and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-Vis DRS). In this study, the ZMO/Na₂S₂O₈ system was used to degrade orange II, and the degradation rate reached 97.44% in 60 min. ZMO catalysts could be recycled for at least five times, and its degradation rate was only decreased by 1.84%. The free radicals produced during the degradation of orange II were studied by classical quenching experiments, and the different types of free radicals produced in the system were further confirmed by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. The catalytic degradation of orange II in this system was mainly caused by the production of superoxide, sulfate and hydroxyl radicals, which achieved high degradation.

One-step in situ formation of 3D hollow sphere-like V2O5 incorporated Ni3V2O8 hybrids with enhanced photocatalytic performance

3-D hollow sphere-like Ni₃V₂O₈ immobilizing V₂O₅ nanoparticles were successfully synthesized via in situ recrystallization method without any template. The compact contact between V₂O₅ and Ni₃V₂O₈ ensuring the photo-inducted carriers fast transport, which would be beneficial for inhibiting recombination rate of electron-hole (e^-/h⁺) pairs. Moreover, the hollow sphere-like structure composed of the smaller nanoparticle could effectively improve of visible light capture capacity (multiple scattering for hollow architectures). Benefiting the synergistic promoting effect of the suitable heterojunction and the fascinating 3D hollow feature, the V₂O₅@Ni₃V₂O₈ indicated significantly degradation performance when evaluated as photocatalyst for degradation antibiotics and chlorophenols under visible light irradiation. Impressively, the 2-V₂O₅@Ni₃V₂O₈ heterojunction deliver the optimal degradation efficiency for TC (OTC) and 2,4-DCP (4-CP) were 90.0% (~91.2%) and 92.6% (~90.0%), respectively. The appearance mechanism for the enhancement photocatalytic performance was also elucidated in detail. The facile strategy provides a novel insight into the designing of the photocatalyst with advantages of charges separation and light-harvesting for degradation of contaminants in wastewater.

In-situ fabrication of a spherical-shaped Zn-Al hydrotalcite with BiOCl and study on its enhanced photocatalytic mechanism for perfluorooctanoic acid removal performed with a response surface methodology

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a widely used compound, is harmful to the environment and human health. In this study, a facile one pot solvothermal method of integrating BiOCl with Zn-Al hydrotalcite to form spherical-shaped BiOCl/Zn-Al hydrotalcite (B-BHZA) sample is reported. The characteristics and main factors affecting photocatalytic PFOA and photocatalytic mechanism of BiOCl/Zn-Al hydrotalcite (B-BHZA) are systematically investigated. It is found that spherical-shaped B-BHZA possesses abundant defects and a larger surface area of 64.4 m² g^-1. The factors affecting photocatalytic removal PFOA (e.g., time, pH, initial concentration and dosage) are investigated by modeling the 3D surface response. The removal rate of PFOA is over 90 % in 6 h under UV light at an optimal pH of 2, an initial concentration of 500 μg/L and a dose of dosage 0.5 g/L. The main mechanism occurs by photo-generated h⁺ oxidation and synergistic effects from the photocatalysis process. Though investigating the intermediates of PFOA degradation and F^-, a possibility was proposed that h⁺ initiated the rapidly decarboxylation of PFOA. The unstable perfluoroheptyl group is formatted and further conversed to short chain perfluorocarboxylic acid. This study provides a new insight for the preparation of highly efficient photocatalysts to the treatment of halogenated compounds in UV system.

Enhanced visible light photocatalytic degradation of dyes in aqueous solution activated by HKUST-1: performance and mechanism

HKUST-1 is a copper-based metal–organic framework (MOF) and potential photocatalyst, but minimal research has addressed the performance and mechanism of HKUST-1 in the visible light photocatalytic degradation of dyes. In the present work, HKUST-1 was applied as a photocatalyst to activate peroxomonosulfate (PMS) under visible light (Vis) for dye removal in aqueous solution. The results showed that the removal efficiency of two cationic dyes [rhodamine B (RhB) and methylene blue (MB)] was greater than 95% within 120 min. Free radicals such as SO₄⁻˙, ·OH were present in the degradation process, with SO₄⁻˙ playing a dominant role. Zeta potential, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and photoluminescence spectroscopy data were used to investigate the degradation mechanism. In the degradation process, surface charge attraction between HKUST-1 and cationic dyes promotes removal efficiency, with the degradation efficiency of cationic dyes (MB and RhB) more than 50% higher than for anionic dyes [acid orange 7 (AO₇) and methyl red (MR)]. On the other hand, HKUST-1 has been proved to activate PMS by conducting photoelectrons, which accelerated the degradation of dyes. Compared with the reaction conditions of PMS/Vis, when the HKUST-1 was present (HKUST-1/PMS/Vis), the degradation rates of MB and RhB increased by 62.7 and 63.2%, respectively.

HKUST-1 is a copper-based metal–organic framework (MOF). The HKUST-1/PMS/Vis system can effectively degrade RhB and MB but accomplish poor removal of AO₇ and MR, which is attributed to the repulsion between surface charges.

Efficient degradation of rhodamine B by magnetically separable ZnS-ZnFe2O4 composite with the synergistic effect from persulfate

Novel ZnS-ZnFe₂O₄ composites were successfully synthesized via a simple and green hydrothermal route. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns of the synthesized composite proved the presence of both ZnS and ZnFe₂O₄. The other characteristics of the composites were further characterized in detail using Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-vis DRS) and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM). The performance of ZnS-ZnFe₂O₄ in the presence of persulfate (PS, K₂S₂O₈) as a co-catalyst was tested for degrading rhodamine B (RhB) under UV light illumination. ZnS-ZnFe₂O₄ composites could remove about 97.67% of RhB in 90 min, which was much higher removal than either ZnS or ZnFe₂O₄ alone. Moreover, the recovery of catalyst and its recycling performance were found to be good after testing three times. A feasible mechanism analysis of RhB degradation was validated by simple classical quenching experiments. The enhanced performance was attributed to the high-efficiency separation rate of photo induced electron-hole pairs and highly active free radicals of O₂^-, OH and SO₄^-.

Facile assembly of novel g-C3N4@expanded graphite and surface loading of nano zero-valent iron for enhanced synergistic degradation of tetracycline

The two-stage removal process of tetracycline (TC) in aqueous solutions using a novel photocatalyst based on nano-zero-valent iron (NZVI), g-C₃N₄ and expanded graphite by carbon layer (EGC) is reported for the first time. The composite (NZVI/g-C₃N₄@EGC) exhibits remarkable adsorption, reduction ability and visible light activity over the reaction course. Compared with pristine g-C₃N₄ (25.9%) and pure NZVI (45.9%), NZVI/g-C₃N₄@EGC achieves high degradation efficiency of TC (98.5%) due to the formation of a heterogeneous photo-Fenton system. This study shows that synergistic effects are achieved in the reaction system, including maintaining the reduction ability of NZVI and enhancing the photocatalytic activity of g-C₃N₄ by facilitating the separation of photogenerated electrons (e⁻) and holes (h⁺). TC removal involved a two-stage process of adsorption–reduction and photo-degradation. The quencher experiments determined that holes (h⁺) and superoxide radicals (˙O₂⁻) are the major reactive species in the degradation of TC. The degradation pathways of TC were proposed based on the analysis of the intermediates. In addition, NZVI/g-C₃N₄@EGC revealed a high stability in a five-cycle test and good magnetic properties for facile separation from aqueous solutions. From an application viewpoint, NZVI/g-C₃N₄@EGC has favorable prospects in the direction of the photocatalytic degradation of antibiotic wastewater.

The two-stage removal process of tetracycline (TC) in aqueous solutions using a novel photocatalyst based on nano-zero-valent iron (NZVI), g-C₃N₄ and expanded graphite by carbon layer (EGC) is reported for the first time.

Photoactuation Healing of α-FeOOH@g-C3 N4 Catalyst for Efficient and Stable Activation of Persulfate

Inspired by living systems, the construction of smart devices that can self-heal in response to structural damage is a promising technology for maintaining the high activity and stability of catalysts during heterocatalytic reactions. Here this study demonstrates an ingenious platform that enabled efficient persulfate (PS) activation for contaminant degradation via integrating a catalyst with photoactuation regeneration. Under irradiation, it is unambiguously confirmed that the collective properties of a tailored FeOOH@C₃ N₄ catalyst permit interfacial photoexcited electron transport from the photocatalyst substrate to needle-shaped FeOOH. This results in the simultaneous recovery of Fe(III) and optimization of the Fe(II)/Fe(III) ratio on FeOOH surface during PS activation process, so that the healed chemical structure ensures that subsequent PS activation remains unimpaired. Aqueous organic contaminant (bisphenol A) oxidation efficacy in this system is almost 20 times higher than for photo- or Fenton-oxidation alone. This work highlights the concept of catalyst regeneration for stable reactive species generation in solution, which represents alternative application of photocatalysis for practical environmental remediation. Further, the photoactuation healing approach can be expanded into various domains, such as material fabrication or chemical synthesis.

Visible-light-driven photocatalytic removal of antibiotics by newly designed C3N4@MnFe2O4-graphene nanocomposites

Newly designed magnetic g-C₃N₄/MnFe₂O₄/graphene (C₃N₄@MnFe₂O₄-G) composites with enhanced photocatalytic activity were successfully synthesized. The photocatalytic behavior of C₃N₄@MnFe₂O₄-G was assessed in photo Fenton-like degradation of antibiotic pollutants, including metronidazole, amoxicillin, tetracycline and ciprofloxacin, using persulfate (S₂O₈^2-) as an oxidant under visible light illumination. The C₃N₄@MnFe₂O₄-G composites show a superior catalytic activity with 94.5% removal of metronidazole that was almost 3.5 times as high as that of the pure g-C₃N₄, which could be attributed to the synergistic promoting effect of the favorable adsorptivity, enhanced light absorption intensity, high migration efficiency of charge carriers and longer lifetime of separated electron-hole pairs derived from the formation of the heterojunction between the g-C₃N₄ and MnFe₂O₄. Moreover, the self-redox properties of iron and manganese atoms in MnFe₂O₄ induced by S₂O₈^2- were particularly beneficial for the generation of SO₄^-. The quenching tests and electron spin resonance (ESR) display that h⁺, O₂^-, SO₄^- and OH are responsible for the antibiotics decomposition. The heterogeneous photocatalyst could be easily recovered by an extra magnetic field and reused several times without any obvious deterioration in catalytic activity. According to the investigation of active species and identified intermediates, the possible photocatalytic mechanism and reaction pathways have been proposed.

The influence of Ce doping of titania on the photodegradation of phenol

Pure and cerium-doped [0.05, 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, and 1.0 Ce nominal atomic % (at.%)] TiO2 was synthesized by the sol-gel method. The obtained catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-visible diffused reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), Raman, and BET surface area measurement. The photocatalytic activity of synthesized samples for the oxidative degradation of phenol in aqueous suspension was investigated. The content of Ce in the catalysts increases both the transition temperature for anatase to rutile phase transformation and the specific surface area, and decreases the crystallite size of anatase phase, the crystallinity, and the band gap energy value. The material with higher efficiency corresponds to 0.1 Ce nominal at.%. Under irradiation with 350 nm lamps, the degradation of phenol could be described as an exponential trend, with an apparent rate constant of (9.1 ± 0.6) 10(-3) s(-1) (r(2) = 0.98). Hydroquinone was identified as the main intermediate.

Decolorization of Acid Orange II dye by peroxymonosulfate activated with magnetic Fe3O4@C/Co nanocomposites

Magnetic Fe₃O₄@C/Co nanocomposites exhibited high efficiency and reusability in activation of PMS for decolorization of AO II solution.

Microwave fabrication of Cu2ZnSnS4 nanoparticle and its visible light photocatalytic properties

Cu2ZnSnS4 nanoparticle with an average diameter of approximately 31 nm has been successfully synthesized by a time effective microwave fabrication method. The crystal structure, surface morphology, and microstructure of the Cu2ZnSnS4 nanoparticle were characterized. Moreover, the visible light photocatalytic ability of the Cu2ZnSnS4 nanoparticle toward degradation of methylene blue (MB) was also studied. About 30% of MB was degraded after 240 min irradiation when employing Cu2ZnSnS4 nanoparticle as a photocatalyst. However, almost all MB was decomposed after 90 min irradiation when introducing a small amount of H2O2 as a co-photocatalyst. The enhancement of the photocatalytic performance was attributed to the synergetic effect between the Cu2ZnSnS4 nanoparticle and H2O2. The detailed photocatalytic degradation mechanism of MB by the Cu2ZnSnS4 was further proposed.

Different crystallographic one-dimensional MnO2 nanomaterials and their superior performance in catalytic phenol degradation

Three one-dimensional MnO2 nanoparticles with different crystallographic phases, α-, β-, and γ-MnO2, were synthesized, characterized, and tested in heterogeneous activation of Oxone for phenol degradation in aqueous solution. The α-, β-, and γ-MnO2 nanostructured materials presented in morphologies of nanowires, nanorods, and nanofibers, respectively. They showed varying activities in activation of Oxone to generate sulfate radicals for phenol degradation depending on surface area and crystalline structure. α-MnO2 nanowires exhibited the highest activity and could degrade phenol in 60 min at phenol concentrations ranging in 25-100 mg/L. It was found that phenol degradation on α-MnO2 followed first order kinetics with an activation energy of 21.9 kJ/mol. The operational parameters, such as MnO2 and Oxone loading, phenol concentration and temperature, were found to influence phenol degradation efficiency. It was also found that α-MnO2 exhibited high stability in recycled tests without losing activity, demonstrating itself to be a superior heterogeneous catalyst to the toxic Co3O4 and Co(2+).

Nano-Fe⁰ encapsulated in microcarbon spheres: synthesis, characterization, and environmental applications

Nanoscaled zerovalent iron (ZVI) encapsulated in carbon spheres (nano-Fe⁰@CS) were prepared via a hydrothermal carbonization method, using glucose and iron(III) nitrate as precursors. The properties of the nano-Fe⁰@CS were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis-differential scanning calorimetry (TGA-DSC), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherms. Nano-Fe⁰@CS was demonstrated, for the first time, as an effective material in activating Oxone (peroxymonosulfate, PMS) for the oxidation of organic pollutants. It was found that the efficiency of nano-Fe⁰@CS was higher than ZVI particles, iron ions, iron oxides, and a cobalt oxide. The mechanism of the high performance was discussed. The structure of the nano-Fe⁰@CS not only leads to high efficiency in the activation of PMS, but also good stability. This study extended the application of ZVI from reductive destruction of organics to oxidative degradation of organics by providing a green material for environmental remediation.