2D ZIF-L arrays supported on zinc foam to activate peroxymonosulfate for degrading sulfamethoxazole through both radical and non-radical pathways

The development of easy recovery and high efficiency heterogeneous catalysts for activating peroxymonosulfate (PMS) is of great significance in the treatment of environmental pollutants. In this study, we successfully immobilized 2D ZIF-L arrays on a zinc foam (ZF) through a room temperature deposition method, creating a self-supporting ZIF-L/ZF catalyst. The ZIF-L/ZF exhibited high catalytic efficiency and durable recyclability for activating PMS to degrade sulfamethoxazole (SMX). Within 10 min, a 97 % degradation efficiency of SMX was achieved, which could be attributed to the unique integrated architecture and Co2+/Co3+ redox cycle of the catalyst. Furthermore, the effects of various environmental factors on catalytic activity were evaluated. By identifying the reactive species, both radical and non-radical oxidation process occurred during PMS activation. Additionally, the ZIF-L/ZF could be easy reused over 10 cycles, demonstrating a practical application value. We also proposed a possible degradation pathway for SMX based on Fukui index calculations and HPLC-MS. Our findings provide valuable insights into the construction of self-supporting catalyst for pollutant removal.