Ultrathin FeOCl Nanosheet as a Robust Fenton-Like Catalyst for Enhanced Sulfamethoxazole Degradation

Zelin Zheng

doi:10.23977/analc.2025.040107

Ultrathin FeOCl Nanosheet as a Robust Fenton-Like Catalyst for Enhanced Sulfamethoxazole Degradation

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DOI: 10.23977/analc.2025.040107 | Downloads: 0 | Views: 27

Author(s)

Zelin Zheng ¹

Affiliation(s)

¹ RCF Experimental School, No. North Taiyanggong Street, Chaoyang District, Beijing, China

Corresponding Author

Zelin Zheng

ABSTRACT

The widespread use of antibiotics has raised significant environmental concerns due to their potential ecological risks. Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), particularly Fenton-like reactions, offer promising pathways for pollutant degradation. However, their large-scale application is often limited by the narrow pH window and iron sludge formation. In this study, nanosheet FeOCl catalyst was synthesized by exfoliating bulk FeOCl, and its performance in activating H₂O₂ to degrade SMX under various pH conditions was evaluated. Structural characterization confirmed that nanosheet FeOCl features a highly exfoliated morphology with reduced layer thickness and smaller crystalline domains compared to its bulk counterpart. The synthesized nanosheet FeOCl exhibited significantly enhanced catalytic performance, removing up to 95% of SMX within 30 minutes over a broad pH range (3–9), significantly outperforming the efficiency of bulk FeOCl. Radical quenching experiments further elucidated that hydroxyl radicals (•OH) served as the primary active species, with additional contributions from other reactive oxygen species. These findings demonstrate that nanosheet FeOCl is a highly efficient heterogeneous Fenton-like catalyst, providing a promising and practical strategy for antibiotic wastewater treatment.

KEYWORDS

FeOCl Nanosheet, Fenton-Like Reaction, Sulfamethoxazole Degradation

CITE THIS PAPER

Zelin Zheng, Ultrathin FeOCl Nanosheet as a Robust Fenton-Like Catalyst for Enhanced Sulfamethoxazole Degradation. Analytical Chemistry: A Journal (2025) Vol. 4: 47-54. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.23977/analc.2025.040107.

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Ultrathin FeOCl Nanosheet as a Robust Fenton-Like Catalyst for Enhanced Sulfamethoxazole Degradation

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