CuO and CeO(2) assisted Fe(2)O(3)/attapulgite catalyst for heterogeneous Fenton-like oxidation of methylene blue

In this paper, CuO and CeO(2) were screened as co-catalyst components for Fe(2)O(3)/attapulgite (ATP) catalyst, and three new catalysts (CuO–Fe(2)O(3)/ATP, CeO(2)–Fe(2)O(3)/ATP and CuO–CeO(2)–Fe(2)O(3)/ATP) were prepared for degradation of methylene blue (MB). The three catalysts' characteristics were determined by BET, XRD, FT-IR, SEM and XPS. MB degradation in different systems and at different pH values was also studied. Under the conditions of H(2)O(2) concentration of 4.9 mmol L(−1), catalyst dosage of 5 g L(−1), pH of 5, reaction temperature of 60 °C and MB initial concentration of 100 mg L(−1), the as-synthesized catalysts showed much greater reaction rate and degradation efficiency of MB than Fe(2)O(3)/ATP catalyst. In addition, the reusability of the as-prepared composites was evaluated. The intermediate products of MB degradation were identified by LC-MS and the possible degradation process of MB was put forward.