paper Sustainable self-powered electro-Fenton degradation using N, S co-doped porous carbon catalyst fabricated with adsorption-pyrolysis-doping strategy

A chief challenge of employing self-powered electro-Fenton (EF) system for drastically degrading stubborn pollutants in industrial wastewater is to develop the catalysts with high activity and selectivity in 2e(-) oxygen reduction and the controllable output power of triboelectric nanogenerator system for collecting ambient available and renewable mechanical energy. Herein, we propose the adsorption-pyrolysis-doping strategy to tailor the content of C-S-C/S-C species and pore sizes of biomass-derived N, S-doped porous carbon catalyst from populus tomentosa to achieve the activity and selectivity of H2O2 electrosynthesis and develop a 3D printed revolving roller-compacted triboelectric nanogenerator (RRC-TENG) as an electric supply with instantaneous short circuit current of 285 mu A, open circuit voltage of 500 V, transferred charge of 1.32 mu C, and the optimum output power density of 3.0 W m(-2), to self-power EF degradation of resistant mixed basic dyes (MB, MO and MG), whose decolorization efficiency is up to 97.8% within 45 min. This work not only realizes the controllable synthesis of high value-added carbon catalysts via adsorption-pyrolysis-doping strategy, but also advances the EF system with a direction to develop the sustainable self-powered degradation by RRC-TENG replacing the traditional power sources, which makes for massively treating industrial wastewater with high-concentration wastes.

Automated summary

The study addresses the challenge of developing catalysts with high activity and selectivity in the EF system, as well as the controllable output power of a triboelectric nanogenerator for collecting mechanical energy. By using an adsorption-pyrolysis-doping strategy, the researchers were able to tailor the carbon catalyst to achieve efficient electrosynthesis. They also developed a 3D printed revolving roller-compacted triboelectric nanogenerator for self-powering the EF system, resulting in high decolorization efficiency of resistant mixed basic dyes in industrial wastewater.