Enhancing catalytic performances of oxygen vacancy rich Co3O4/N-doped carbon materials via Cu2+ ion doping toward hydrogenation reduction and advanced oxidation reactions of p-nitrophenol

This work shows that doping of Co3O4 by 1%–5% amount of Cu2+ and formation of oxygen vacancy (VO) can greatly improve catalytic behaviour of Co3O4/N-doped carbon (Co3O4/NC) material toward hydrogenation reduction and advanced oxidation reaction of p-nitrophenol (PNP). For the hydrogenation reaction, reaction time of 2 min can be achieved when the molar ratio of NaBH4:PNP is 100:1 and the activity parameter is evaluated to be 523.3 s−1·g−1. For the advanced oxidation reaction, activity parameter of 27 s−1·g−1 can be obtained and 1O2 is the main reactive oxygen species when the oxidation agent is peroxymonosulfate. Through substitution of Co3+ by Al3+, the catalytic performance of Cu2+ doped Co2AlO4/NC catalyst is much better than that of Cu2+ doped CoAl2O4/NC material, implying that Cu2+ can replace Co3+ ion in the lattice of Co3O4, resulting in formation of VO. Our results provide new insight into designing catalysts toward the degradation of PNP.