Deactivation and regeneration of carbon nanotubes and nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes in catalytic peroxymonosulfate activation for phenol degradation: variation of surface functionalities

Abstract

or thermal treatment regeneration under inert atmosphere could effectively remove surface O-containing functionalities and enhance PZCs, restoring their catalytic activities; meanwhile, the N-containing functionalities of NCNT decreased with regeneration treatment, resulting in a negative impact on catalyst regeneration. The present findings indicate that surface functionalities are closely correlated with catalyst deactivation and regeneration, playing crucial roles in the catalytic activation of PMS.