Single Mn atom anchored on N-doped porous carbon as highly efficient Fenton-like catalyst for the degradation of organic contaminants

Fenton-like technology is a green pathway for removing recalcitrant organic pollutants from the environment. However, low catalytic efficiency and poor stability hinder the development of Fenton-like technology as a result of the lack of effective catalysts. Here, we report a highly efficient and stable Fenton-like catalyst based on isolated single Mn atom anchored on N-doped porous carbon. The catalyst exhibits high activity and stability in the heterogeneous activation of peroxymonosulfate (PMS) for organic pollutant degradation, showing an outstanding turnover frequency of greater than 5.69 min−1 in bisphenol A (BPA) degradation. A variety of analytical techniques as well as density functional theory (DFT) calculations suggest that the unique N-coordinated single Mn atom (MnN4) serves as a highly catalytically active site for PMS activation, while the adjacent pyrrolic N site acts as an adsorption site for the target organic molecules. The ultra-high catalytic activity of single Mn atom catalyst can be attributed to its fantastic dual reaction sites, which remarkably shorten the migration distance from the radical to the adsorbed organic molecules.