Reinforced As(III) oxidation by the in-situ electro-generated hydrogen peroxide on MoS2 ultrathin nanosheets modified carbon felt in alkaline media

•MoS2 modified carbon felt (CF) is synthesized by a facile hydrothermal method.•High oxidation rates of As(III) is achieved at MoS2/CF in alkaline media.•As(III) can adsorbed on the cathode and then be in-situ oxidized by the ROS.

Environmental conversion of As(III) to less toxic As(V) is a critical step for the arsenic pollution remediation. In the present study, MoS2 ultrathin nanosheets modified carbon felt electrode is fabricated by a facile hydrothermal method and employed as the two-electron oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) cathode for the As(III) oxidation in alkaline media. Due to the rich MoO bonds at MoS2 ultrathin nanosheets, the two-electron ORR catalytic property, electrical conductivity and hydrophilic behavior are significantly enhanced. Besides, As(III) can be efficiently conversed via adsorption-oxidation scheme on the modified layer, and there is good stability on the MoS2 modified electrode during the electro-oxidation process. This MoS2 modified carbon felt can be presented as a cost-effective cathode for the electroperoxidation process and provided further understanding for the environmental remediation in alkaline media.

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