Copper Tannic Acid-Polyethyleneimine Encapsulated Melamine Sponge for Fenton-Like Degradation of Dyes

Abstract

This study introduces the synthesis of an innovative heterogeneous Fenton-like catalyst, Copper Tannic Acid-Polyethyleneimine Encapsulated Melamine Sponge (MS-P-Cu-TA NPs), for the efficient degradation of dye wastewater. Through a simple impregnation and in-situ reduction method, copper tannic acid (Cu-TA) and polyethyleneimine (PEI) were uniformly coated onto the surface of a melamine sponge (MS), forming a stable catalytic system. The catalyst leverages the high porosity and surface activity of the melamine sponge, combined with the efficient catalytic properties of the CuTA-PEI complex, to activate hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) over a wide pH range, generating hydroxyl radicals (·OH) for the effective degradation of various dyes, such as methylene blue, rhodamine B, malachite green, methyl orange. Experimental results demonstrate that MS-P-Cu-TA NPs exhibits excellent catalytic activity under near-neutral conditions, the degradation rate of methylene blue can reach 98.4% within 24 hours. It also demonstrates good degradation efficiency for other dyes. This research provides a new approach for designing efficient and environmentally friendly heterogeneous Fenton-like catalysts