α-Fe2O3 nanosheets as Electro-Fenton catalyst for highly efficient phenol degradation

[Display omitted] •α-Fe2O3 nanosheets effectively promote electro-Fenton degradation of phenol.•The α-Fe2O3 nanosheets boost the electron transport rate.•Degradation efficiency can be enhanced significantly with less dosage of catalyst.•Two-dimensional α-Fe2O3 nanosheets have better stability. A two-dimensional material, α-Fe2O3 nanosheets, was prepared and used as heterogeneous Electro-Fenton catalysts in phenol degradation. The morphology and electrochemical characterization of the catalysts were carried out. Morphological and structural analysis showed that the prepared product was a hexagonal α-Fe2O3 nanosheet with, a thickness of about 10 nm, and a width of 200 nm. Electrochemical tests show that the catalysts have good catalytic performance. The electrochemical test results of α-Fe2O3 with different morphologies show that the two-dimensional nanosheet morphology improves the catalytic performance of α-Fe2O3. The effects of different factors (current density, aeration rate, pH, catalyst dosage, and electrolyte concentration) were discussed. Free radical quenching experiments demonstrated that OH and SO4− are the main active species. Furthermore, the catalyst was recycled 7 times, and the phenol removal rate did not decrease significantly.