title: Tailoring the properties of a zero-valent iron-based composite by mechanochemistry for nitrophenols degradation in wastewaters.
abstract: Zero-valent iron (ZVI) is a valuable material for environmental remediation, because of its safeness, large availability, and inexpensiveness. Moreover, its reactivity can be improved by addition of (nano-) particles of other elements such as noble metals. However, common preparation methods for this kind of iron-based composites involve wet precipitation of noble metal salt precursors, so they are often expensive and not green. Mechanochemical procedures can provide a solvent-free alternative, even at a large scale. The present study demonstrates that it is possible to tailor functional properties of ZVI-based materials, utilizing high-energy ball milling. All main preparation parameters are investigated and discussed. Specifically, a copper-carbon-iron ternary composite was prepared for fast degradation of 4-nitrophenol (utilized as model pollutant) to 4-aminophenol and other phenolic compounds. Copper and carbon are purposely chosen to insert specific properties to the composite: Copper acts as efficient nano-cathode that enhances electron transfer from iron to 4-nitrophenol, while carbon protects the iron surface from fast oxidation in open air. In this way, the reactive material can rapidly reduce high concentration of nitrophenols in water, it does not require acid washing to be activated, and can be stored in open air for one week without any significant activity loss.
authors.affiliation: a School of Environment , State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control (SKJLESPC), POPs Research Center, Tsinghua University , Beijing , People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cagnetta
authors.affiliation: a School of Environment , State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control (SKJLESPC), POPs Research Center, Tsinghua University , Beijing , People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: b Institute of Solid State Chemistry and Mechanochemistry , Novosibirsk , Russia.
authors.forename: Igor O
authors.initials: IO
authors.lastname: Lomovskiy
authors.affiliation: a School of Environment , State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control (SKJLESPC), POPs Research Center, Tsinghua University , Beijing , People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D002244:Carbon / Q000737:chemistry; D003300:Copper / Q000737:chemistry; D007501:Iron / Q000737:chemistry*; D058085:Iron Compounds; D009596:Nitrophenols / Q000737:chemistry*; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods*; D062065:Wastewater / Q000032:analysis*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D002244:Carbon; D003300:Copper; D007501:Iron; D058085:Iron Compounds; D009596:Nitrophenols; D062065:Wastewater; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C024836:4-nitrophenol
keywords: Mechanochemistry; ball milling; nitrophenols; ternary composite; zero-valent iron