A Co-based nitrogen-doped lignin carbon catalyst with high stability and wide operating window for rapid degradation of antibiotics.

Co-based catalysts play a crucial role in the activation of peroxymonosulfate (PMS) for degradation contaminants. However, the practical application of such catalysts is hindered by challenges like the self-aggregation of Co nanoparticles and leaching of Co. In this study, the Co-based catalyst Co-N/C@CL was synthesized from carboxymethylated lignin obtained by grafting abundant carboxymethyl groups into alkali lignin, in which the presence of these carboxymethyl groups enhanced its water solubility and allowed the formation of stable macromolecular complexes with Co. This catalyst exhibited a high specific surface area (521.8 m·g) and a uniform distribution of Co nanoparticles. Consequently, the Co-N/C@CL/PMS system could completely remove 20 ppm tetracycline (TC) in 2 min at a rate of 2.404 min. Experimental results and DFT calculations revealed that the synergistic effect of lignin carbon and Co NPs accelerated the cleavage and electron transfer of OO bonds, thus promoting the formation of O, OH and SO, with O emerging as the predominant contributor. Moreover, Co-N/C@CL displayed excellent cycling stability and low Co leaching. This work not only provides a feasible strategy for the preparation of highly active and stable Co-based carbon materials but also offers a promising catalyst for the efficient degradation of TC.