Enhancement strategies for efficient activation of persulfate by heterogeneous cobalt-containing catalysts: A review

As a clean and efficient technology for the degradation of organic contaminants, sulfate radical based advanced oxidation processes (SR-AOPs) have attracted more and more attention in the past decades. Cobalt is regarded as the most reactive and efficient non-noble metal catalyst for the activation of persulfate including peroxymonosulfate (PMS) and peroxydisulfate (PDS) to produce sulfate radicals. Due to the limitations of homogeneous catalytic systems, the heterogeneous cobalt-containing catalysts have been emerged and rapidly developed. Various strategies have been schemed to further enhance the activation ability of persulfate by heterogeneous cobalt-containing catalysts. This paper provides an overview on the recent progress in enhancement strategies for the highly efficient activation of persulfate by heterogeneous cobalt-containing catalysts. With a brief introduction on the chemistry and feature of sulfate radical reactions catalyzed by homogeneous Co2+/Co3+ species, the main strategies for enhancing persulfate activation by heterogeneous cobalt containing catalysts are summarized, such as surface and morphology design, multiple reactive centers design, organic-inorganic hybrids and heterostructure composites. Future perspectives of heterogeneous SR-AOPs systems catalyzed by cobalt-containing catalysts are outlined.

Automated summary

Sulfate radical based advanced oxidation processes (SR-AOPs) have become a popular and efficient technology for the degradation of organic contaminants. Cobalt is considered as the most reactive and efficient non-noble metal catalyst for activating persulfate to produce sulfate radicals. In order to overcome the limitations of homogeneous catalytic systems, heterogeneous cobalt-containing catalysts have been developed. This paper provides an overview of the strategies for enhancing persulfate activation by heterogeneous cobalt-containing catalysts, as well as future perspectives of heterogeneous SR-AOPs systems catalyzed by cobalt-containing catalysts.