Electron transfer mechanism mediated MOF-derived nanoflowers catalyst for promoting peroxymonosulfate activation and ciprofloxacin degradation

Three MOF-derived nanoparticles were synthesized by manganese doping and calcination of ZIF-67 precursor. The surface physicochemical properties of these materials were compared using SEM, TEM, XRD, FTIR and BET analyses. Among them, cobalt-manganese oxide nanoflowers (CoMn₂O₄-NFs) exhibited excellent catalytic performance in the degradation of ciprofloxacin (CIP) by activated peroxymonosulfate (PMS), achieving 100 % removal within 30 minutes with a rate constant (k_obs) of 0.2960 min⁻¹. The catalytic mechanism was elucidated by quenching experiments, EPR, electrochemical analysis and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results show that the non-radical oxidation process was initiated mainly by direct electron transfer and ¹O₂ (∼80 %), with a small contribution from the radical SO₄^·- (∼20 %). The nano-confined structure on the surface of CoMn₂O₄-NFs makes it easy to combine with PMS to form CoMn₂O₄-NFs/PMS* complexes, which directly capture electrons from CIP to complete the degradation process. The double redox cycle of cobalt-manganese ions and oxygen vacancies on CoMn₂O₄-NFs could accelerate the electron transfer process. CoMn₂O₄-NFs maintained high removal efficiency (>99 %) over a wide pH range (3−11), with minimal interference from most environmental anions, demonstrating strong stability and interference resistance. This study provides insights into using metal-based materials for oxidative degradation of organic pollutants via non-radical pathways.