Abstract
Peroxymonosulfate-based electrochemical advanced oxidation processes (PMS-EAOPs) have great potential for sustainable water purification, so an in-depth understanding of its catalytic mechanism is imperative to facilitate its practical application. Herein, the performance enhancement and mechanism of electroenhanced PMS activation by single-atom Fe catalyst modified carbon felt was investigated. Compared with the anode, the cathode exhibited faster bisphenol A degradation (k(cathode) = 0.073 vs. k(anode) = 0.015 min(-1)), increased PMS consumption (98.8 vs. 10.3%), and an order of magnitude reduction of Fe dissolution (0.068 vs. 0.787 mg L(-1)). Mass transfer is a key factor limiting PMS activation, while the electrostriction of water in the hydrophobic region caused by cathode electric field (CEF) significantly increased mass transfer coefficient (k(m, cathode) = 1.49 × 10(-4) vs. k(m, anode) = 2.68 × 10(-5) m s(-1)). The enhanced activation of PMS is a synergistic result between electroactivation and catalyst-activation, which is controlled by the applied current density. (1)O(2) and direct electron transfer are the main active species and activation pathway, which achieve high degradation efficiency over pH 3 to 10. Density functional theory calculations prove CEF increases the adsorption energy, lengthens the O-O bond in PMS, and promotes charge transfer. A flow-through convection unit achieves sustainable operation with high removal efficiency (99.5% to 97.5%), low electrical energy consumption (0.15 kWh log(-1) m(-3)), and low Fe leaching (0.81% of the total single atom Fe). This work reveals the critical role of electric fields in modulating Fenton-like catalytic activity, which may advance the development of advanced oxidation processes and other electrocatalytic applications.