Performance and Mechanism of Fe80P13C7 Metal Glass in Catalytic Degradation of Methylene Blue

Abstract

This study systematically investigates the catalytic degradation performance and reaction mechanism of Fe80P13C7 Metal Glass (MG) in a Fenton-like system for the removal of Methylene Blue (MB). Kinetic experiments on degradation reveal that under acidic conditions (pH = 3), Fe80P13C7 MG exhibits exceptional catalytic activity, achieving complete degradation of a 50 mg/L MB solution within 12 min. Its degradation rate significantly surpasses that of Fe78Si9B13 MG and commercially available ZVI powder. Key parameters such as catalyst dosage, H2O2 concentration, solution pH, and initial dye concentration were systematically examined to determine the optimal reaction conditions. The characterization results indicate that Fe80P13C7 MG maintains high activity even after multiple cycles of use, attributed to surface selective corrosion and crack formation during the reaction process. This “self-renewal” mechanism continuously exposes fresh active sites. Mechanistic studies confirm that the degradation process is driven by an efficient redox cycle between Fe2+/Fe3+ within the material, ensuring sustained and stable generation of •OH, which ultimately leads to the complete mineralization of MB molecules. This research provides solid experimental and theoretical foundations for the application of Fe80P13C7 MG in dye wastewater treatment.