In-situ growth of Ni₃S₂@Mo₂S₃ catalyst on Mo-Ni foam for degradation of p-nitrophenol with a good synergetic effect by using ozone

In this study, Ni₃S₂@Mo₂S₃ composites were grown on the surface of molybdenum-nickel (Mo-Ni) foam in situ by a one-step hydrothermal method. With p-nitrophenol (PNP) as the target pollutant, the catalyst can produce a good synergistic effect with ozone, and the degradation rate of PNP is more than 96%. Even after five cycles, Ni₃S₂@Mo₂S₃-NF/O₃ was able to degrade PNP efficiently and stably. In addition, the unique three-dimensional structure of Ni₃S₂@Mo₂S₃-NF solves the separation and recycling problem of traditional powder catalysts by maintaining the structural stability during the use process and thus, may reduce the cost of water treatment. The degradation process is mainly dominated by non-radical pathways, and the radical pathway, which work synergistically. This work reveals the influencing factors and degradation mechanism of Ni₃S₂@Mo₂S₃-NF/O₃ system for PNP degradation, which provides a new idea for water treatment and broadens its potential application.