Microinterface effects of catalytic materials on PMS/PDS-mediated degradation of organic pollutants: Mechanistic insights, structural influences, and enhancement strategies

The microinterface effect represents a critical microscopic mechanism governing the efficiency and selectivity of catalytic materials in activating persulfate (PMS/PDS) for the degradation of organic pollutants. This review systematically elucidates the role of distinct microinterface environments formed at catalytic material surfaces or localized regions in modulating both radical and nonradical oxidation pathways. It further delineates the microinterface characteristics related to interfacial electron transfer and active species generation induced by various catalytic materials, including metal-free carbon materials, transition metal-based materials, and their composites. From a materials structural perspective, the influences of dimensionality, crystal facet orientation, defect structures, and oxygen-containing functional groups on microinterface adsorption, electron transport, and catalytic activity are analyzed comprehensively. Moreover, enhancement strategies focusing on composite materials design, microstructural tuning, and environmental optimization to strengthen microinterface effects are proposed. Through representative pollutant degradation cases, the potential applications and existing challenges of microinterface phenomena in practical water treatment are discussed, aiming to provide theoretical insights and practical guidelines for the precise regulation and efficient utilization of persulfate-based advanced oxidation processes.