Metal-free carbocatalysis in advanced oxidation reactions

TLDR: This Account showcases the recent contributions to metal-free catalysis in advanced oxidation, including design of nanocarbon catalysts, exploration of intrinsic active sites, and identification of reactive species and reaction pathways, and offers perspectives on carbocatalysis for future environmental applications.

Abstract: ConspectusCatalytic processes have remarkably boosted the rapid industrializations in chemical production, energy conversion, and environmental remediation. As one of the emerging applications of carbocatalysis, metal-free nanocarbons have demonstrated promise as catalysts for green remediation technologies to overcome the poor stability and undesirable metal leaching in metal-based advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). Since our reports of heterogeneous activation of persulfates with low-dimensional nanocarbons, the novel oxidative system has raised tremendous interest for degradation of organic contaminants in wastewater without secondary contamination. In this Account, we showcase our recent contributions to metal-free catalysis in advanced oxidation, including design of nanocarbon catalysts, exploration of intrinsic active sites, and identification of reactive species and reaction pathways, and we offer perspectives on carbocatalysis for future environmental applications.The journey starts with the dis...