Mxene-functionalized metal–organic frameworks enhancing the generation of active hydrogen atoms for efficient electrocatalytic hydrodechlorination

To simultaneously reduce the usage of Pd and enhance the generation of active hydrogen atoms (H*), a novel Pd/MXene@Ni-MOF/NF composite was reported for electrocatalytic hydrodechlorination (EHDC). The synthesized catalyst delivered excellent activity, successfully achieving complete removal of 2-chlorophenol (2-CP) within 90 min and the rate constant was approximately 2.8 times higher than that of Pd/NF catalyst. Additionally, Pd/MXene@Ni-MOF/NF composites also showed a full range of pH tolerance, excellent ion interference resistance and long-term stability. Mechanistic studies suggested that the modification of MXene improved the electrocatalytic properties of Ni-MOF and the generation of H* by its optimized hydrophilicity, electrical conductivity and structural stability, which offered sufficient active species for the conversion of 2-CP to phenol on Pd nanoparticles.