Oxygen vacancy enhancing the Fe2O3-CeO2 catalysts in Fenton-like reaction for the sulfamerazine degradation under O2 atmosphere.

To develop an efficient and reusable heterogeneous Fenton-like catalyst is a great challenge for its application in practical water treatment. Effective oxygen vacancy (OVs)-promoted Fe2O3-CeO2 catalyst was prepared by a sol-gel method, and applied in the heterogeneous Fenton-like reaction of the sulfamerazine (SMR) degradation. The Fe2O3-CeO2 catalyst showed good activity and stability, and total SMR conversion was achieved in the Fenton-like reaction after 75 min at pH 3.0 and 45 °C under O2 atmosphere. Moreover, the SMR removal was significantly enhanced under O2 atmosphere. The surface-bounded OH radicals played a dominant role for the SMR degradation. The Fe2O3-CeO2 catalyst remarkably promoted the generation of OH in the Fenton-like reaction under O2 atmosphere, mostly because abundant OVs on the catalyst surface not only accelerated electron transfer to promote the H2O2 decomposition, but also oxygen molecules, adsorbed on OVs, formed O2-/HO2 and promoted the Fe2+/Fe3+ redox cycle.