Iron-nickel borides on nickel foam for periodate-based oxidation

Abstract

Transition metal borides (TMBs) are promising Fenton-like catalysts due to their low cost, eco-friendliness, and high activity, but their application is hindered by poor conductivity and structural instability. Here we report a facile electroless plating method for the in-situ synthesis of iron-nickel borides on nickel foam (Fe-Ni-B@NF), without the use of oxidizing agents or additional nickel precursors. The resulting monolithic catalyst achieves 100 % removal of 2,4-dichlorophenol within 15 min under ambient conditions, exhibiting excellent activity and stability. The enhanced activity arises from the synergistic interactions among metal borides, bimetallic components, and the conductive substrate. Experimental and theoretical analyses reveal that boron-mediated reverse electron transfer promotes electron enrichment, facilitating donation to Fe(III)/Ni(III) species. The nickel foam enables efficient electron transport, exposes abundant active sites, and serves as an intrinsic nickel source. This integrated architecture eliminates the need for catalyst recovery, offering strong potential for practical water purification via advanced oxidation processes.