FeCoMnMoNb with multi-atom active sites in N-doped porous carbon for synergistic catalytic removal of 4-nitrophenol from wastewater†

It is a great challenge to achieve precise control over multi-atom active sites, especially in nanomaterials. This study presents the synthesis of well-dispersed FeCoMnMoNb multi-atom active sites incorporated in N-doped porous carbon (FeCoMnMoNb-NPC) by employing the space-confined pyrolysis approach, The morphology and structure were rigorously characterized in detail. The resulting FeCoMnMoNb-NPC demonstrated exceptional activity and reusability in catalytic hydrogenation of 4-nitrophenol, and provided further insights into the underlying mechanism. The hierarchically porous carbon provided a three-dimensional catalytic surface and exposed a lot of active sites. In parallel, the synergistic effect of the multiple metal sites played an important role in the superior catalytic performance. This work offers a promising direction in the synthesis of advanced multi-atom catalysts for environmental remediation of organic pollutants.