A green strategy for porous biochar fabrication with superior capacity for peroxydisulfate activation to degrade sulfadiazine: the cooperative role of C-sp3 and specific surface area

Abstract Metal-free porous biochars are popularly utilized as catalysts for peroxydisulfate (PDS) activation. The enhancement effect of PDS activation fabricated by employing both hard template and alkali metal activating agent has not been explored completely. In addition, the role inherent carbon defect in clearly elucidated. Hence, a series carbonaceous were using sole (KCl), (Na 2 S O 3 ) or combination (KCl/Na , KCl/KHCO KCl/NaHCO KCl/Na C 4 ), to systematically investigate specific surface area (SSA) intrinsic biochar on its ability. synthesized KCl Na (SK-C) exhibited optimum degradation performance. SK-C was found possess an interconnected hollow cage with three-dimensional mesh structure showing largest area, pore volume C- sp edge content among all catalysts, which explained paramount catalytic SSA together can determine performance quantitative relationship. single electron transfer pathway from SDZ inner-sphere bound SK-C/PDS* protagonist pollutant oxidation. intermediates detected recognized their toxicities evaluated. This study first time comprehensively identified synergistic between defects improving removal contaminants. Graphical