ABSTRACT Precise control over nitrogen (N) content and bonding configurations in N‐doped carbon materials has been shown to significantly improve catalytic performance. However, existing synthesis strategies often suffer from uncontrolled defect formation and fail to produce well‐defined carbon architectures comparable to graphene oxide (GO) or carbon nanotubes (CNTs). This study presents a strategy that exploits the restructuring behavior of polyethylene glycol (PEG) to simultaneously modulate both N configuration and carbon morphology. By fine‐tuning the molecular weight and amount of PEG, pyridinic‐, pyrrolic‐, and graphitic‐N species can be selectively tuned into well‐defined carbon frameworks. Comprehensive analyses using X‐ray photo‐electron spectroscopy, Scanning electron microscopy, and Transmission electron microscopy confirm the regulation of N bonding configurations and the preservation of ordered carbon nanostructures. The optimized catalyst, N 900 PC 4 ‐0.5, exhibits a hollow nanotube/sheet hybrid morphology enriched with graphitic‐N for efficient electron transfer, while pyrrolic‐N, pyridinic‐N, and C═O functionalities enhance peroxymonosulfate (PMS) adsorption. This configuration and architecture facilitate efficient electron transfer and promote PMS activation via 1 O 2 ‐mediated nonradical pathway, achieving 99.6% removal of methyl paraben within 10 min ( k = 0.1 min −1 ). These findings highlight the role of urea–PEG interactions on the configuration and morphology of N‐doped carbon materials, offering a strategic approach to tailor their functionality.
Abide et al. (Sun,) studied this question.