Convenient synthesis and engineering of ultrafine Co₃O₄-incorporated carbon composite: Towards practical application of environmental remediation

The facile synthesis and engineering of highly active catalysts is an urgent requirement for the practical application of environmental remediation. In this report, we demonstrate the convenient synthesis of Co₃O₄-incorporated carbon composite (Co₃O₄/CC) by pyrolysis of a cobalt complex modified cotton cloth, which can be extended to other cellulose products (cotton, filter paper). Benefitting from the ultrafine Co₃O₄ particles with a mean particle size of ∼7.4 nm, the Co₃O₄/CC catalyst exhibits excellent performance for biphenol A (BPA) removal based on the sulfate radical (SO₄^-) process. Notably, as a proof-of-concept application, the Co₃O₄/CC packed column as a microreactor was designed and used in the continuous-flow reaction. Leveraging on the long half-life time period and high oxidability of SO₄^-, the degradation rate of BPA could increase above 95% at a flow rate of 2 mL min^-1 when the total BPA solution reached to 1400 mL. The convenient synthesis of a high-performance catalyst and its efficient application to a continuous-flow reaction represent a further step towards practical application of SO₄^- based advanced oxidation processes.