The　Fenton　process　has　been　considered　as　one　of　the　most　promising　advanced　oxidation　processes　(AOPs)　for　the　treatment　of　persistent　organic　pollutants　(POPs).　Herein,　engineered　nanoscale　schwertmannite　(nano-SCH)　were　fabricated　from　a　PVP　(polyvinylpyrrolidone)　assisted　room-temperature　synthesis.　The　as-prepared　well-dispersed　nano-SCH　materials　were　further　studied　as　Fenton-like　catalysts　for　4-nitrophenol　(4-NP)　degradation　in　the　presence　of　H2O2.　Results　showed　that　the　optimized　nano-SCH-0.125　was　able　to　degrade　91.0%　of　4-NP　in　60　min　at　298　K,　thanks　to　the　nanoscale　and　hierarchical　surface　structures　that　provided　abundant　reactive　sites　at　solid/solution　interfaces.　Moreover,　mechanism　study　indicated　that　center　dot　OH　radicals　were　the　main　reactive　species　responsible　for　the　excellent　4-NP　degradation　performances　during　the　Fenton-like　processes.　This　work　thus　provides　a　viable　pathway　to　engineer　nanoscale　materials　with　enhanced　catalytic　properties　in　oxidative　degradation　of　environmental　pollutants.