LAUSR

This study intends to reinvent classical Fenton chemistry by enabling the Fe(II)/Fe(III) redox cycle to occur on a newly developed FeOCl nanosheet catalyst for facile hydroxyl radical (•OH) generation from H2O2 activation. This approach overcomes challenges such as low operating pH and large sludge production that have prevented a wider use of otherwise attractive Fenton chemistry for practical water treatment, in particular, for the destruction of recalcitrant pollutants through nonselective oxidation by •OH. We demonstrate that FeOCl catalysts exhibit the highest performance reported in the literature for •OH production and organic pollutant destruction over a wide pH range. We further elucidate the mechanism of rapid conversion between Fe(III) and Fe(II) in FeOCl crystals based on extensive characterizations. Given the low-cost raw material and simple synthesis and regeneration, FeOCl catalysts represent a critical advance toward application of iron-based advanced oxidation in real practice.