Multiwalled carbon nanotube-supported CuCo2S4 as a heterogeneous Fenton-like catalyst with enhanced performance†
Abstract
In this paper, we prepared CuCo2S4/MWCNTs as a heterogeneous iron-free bimetal catalyst for the degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye by uniformly synthesizing CuCo2S4 nanoparticles on the surfaces of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). The homogeneous nanostructure, tuned by MWCNTs, and the efficient electron transfer from CuCo2S4 to MWCNTs resulted in a quite decent catalytic activity, which was superior to that of pristine CuCo2S4 and monometal sulfides. Moreover, CuCo2S4/MWCNTs maintained a good catalytic performance over a broad pH range of 3 to 12, and exhibited better MB degradation rates under alkaline conditions. Meanwhile, the catalyst was reusable for up to three cycles due to the strong interaction between the nanoparticles and MWCNTs. The results demonstrate that CuCo2S4/MWCNTs is an improved Fenton catalyst and a promising candidate to substitute iron-based catalysts for the treatment of wastewater containing dyes.