Application of metal-based catalysts for Fenton reaction: from homogeneous to heterogeneous, from nanocrystals to single atom

Nowadays, increasing emissions of hazardous chemicals cause serious environmental pollution. The advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), which produce numbers of reactive oxygen species (ROS), are one of the most widely used technologies for degrading refractory pollutants in aqueous phase. Among these, Fenton reaction including both homogeneous and heterogeneous processes, has received increasing attention for water treatment. In this review, various nanomaterials with different size such as nanocrystals, nanoparticles (e.g., iron-based minerals, bimetallic oxides, zero-valent iron, quantum dots) and metal-based single atom catalysts (SACs) applied in homogeneous and heterogeneous Fenton reactions, as well as the corresponding catalytic mechanisms will be systematically summarized. Several factors including the morphology, chemical composition, geometric/electronic structures influence the catalytical behavior simultaneously. Here, the recent research advancement including the advantages and further challenges in homogeneous and heterogeneous Fenton system will be introduced in detail. Furthermore, developments for different nanomaterials, from nanocrystals, nanoparticles (minerals, bimetallic oxides represented by Fe-based catalysts, and nanosized zero valent iron materials) to SACs will be discussed. Some representative catalysts for Fenton reaction and their applications will be presented. In addition, commonly-used supports (e.g., graphene oxide, g-C₃N₄, and carbon nanotubes) and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs)/derivatives and metal-support interaction for improving Fenton-like performance will be introduced. Finally, different types of catalysts for Fenton reaction are compared and their practical application and operational costs are summarized.