Due to the high toxicity and low degradability of phenolic compounds, including hydroquinone (HQ), in environmental samples, there is a strong need for the development of efficient catalytic systems for the oxidation of hydroquinone to benzoquinone (BQ). Catalytic oxidation using nanoscale metal-based catalysts has been recognized as an effective approach for the removal of such contaminants. In this study, reduced graphene oxide–based iron oxide, iron nitride, and cobalt ferrite nanocomposites were synthesized using co-precipitation, pyrolysis, and hydrothermal methods. The obtained nanocomposites were characterized by UV–Vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area analysis, and field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). The catalytic performances of the synthesized nanocomposites toward the oxidation of hydroquinone to benzoquinone using H 2 O 2 in aqueous solution were comparatively evaluated. The results indicated that the Fe 2 N/CSrGO nanocomposite exhibited the highest activity under the investigated conditions, achieving an oxidation efficiency of 82.6% at pH 8 with a catalyst dosage of 20 mg after 120 min of reaction. The enhanced performance of Fe 2 N/CSrGO is attributed to the combined contribution of the iron nitride phase and the nitrogen-doped rGO framework, which can facilitate electron transfer, as well as the mesoporous structure of the composite (specific surface area of 269.50 m² g⁻¹), which promotes accessibility of active sites. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis confirmed 100% selectivity toward benzoquinone. These findings suggest that rGO-supported iron nitride catalysts are promising candidates for selective hydroquinone oxidation in aqueous systems under mild conditions.
Lotfi et al. (Sat,) studied this question.
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