Layered Double Hydroxide-Supported Carbon Dots as an Efficient Heterogeneous Fenton-Like Catalyst for Generation of Hydroxyl Radicals

The development of a new heterogeneous Fenton-like catalyst is highly desired. Herein, we reported a simple and efficient method for the preparation of colloidal nanocomposites consisting of carbon dots and dodecylbenzenesulfonate (DBS)-layered double hydroxides (LDHs). The resulting nanocatalyst can function as an effective heterogeneous Fenton-like catalyst for the decomposition of acidified H₂O₂ to generate abundant hydroxyl radicals (·OH). With the aid of chemiluminescence (CL) technique, electron spin resonance (ESR) measurements and ion chromatography (IC) separation technique, we demonstrated that the unique structural configuration of the carbon dot-DBS-LDH nanocomposites was responsible for the highly efficient catalytic activities toward H₂O₂ decomposition. The fabricated material introduced a novel family of Fenton-like nanocatalysts with environmental friendliness, cost effectivity, and superior efficiency for the decomposition of H₂O₂ to ·OH radicals. Such heterogeneous Fenton-like catalyst could realize the degradation of DBS without any external energy input, showing a promising application for the oxidative degradation of organic contaminants in wastewater treatment applications.