Predominance of aminated water interfaces on transition-metal nanoparticulate to enhance synergetic removal of carbonyls and inhibition of CO production.

In the context of the air quality co-benefits of carbon neutrality, conventional strategies for the end-of-pipe control aimed at reducing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to carbon dioxide (CO) require a more realistic revision. This study explored the synergetic removal of carbonyls with low carbon emission by amine-functionalized manganese dioxide (MnO), obtained through a method involving freezing-thawing cycles. Molecular-level characterization revealed that an ordered array of interfacial water dimers (HO, a class of water-proton clusters) on the MnO surface enhanced the robust bonding of metal sites with amino groups.

Single-Atom Engineering of Covalent Organic Framework for Photocatalytic H Production Coupled with Benzylamine Oxidation.

In photocatalysis, reducing the exciton binding energy and boosting the conversion of excitons into free charge carriers are vital to enhance photocatalytic activity. This work presents a facile strategy of engineering Pt single atoms on a 2D hydrazone-based covalent organic framework (TCOF) to promote H production coupled with selective oxidation of benzylamine. The optimised TCOF-Pt SA photocatalyst with 3 wt% Pt single atom exhibited superior performance to TCOF and TCOF-supported Pt nanoparticle catalysts.

Fabricating-scheme C-doped TiO/rGO nanocomposites for enhanced photocatalytic NO removal.

It is attractive to explore practical approaches to optimize the photodegraded NO property of TiO. Herein, a typical-shaped heterojunction C-TiO/rGO composed of carbon-doped TiOand reductive graphene oxide (rGO) was constructed to optimize the NO removal efficiency through anone-pot hydrothermal process with glucose as reductant and dopant. The C-TiO/rGO (0.

Construction and Activity of an All-Organic Heterojunction Photocatalyst Based on Melem and Pyromellitic Dianhydride.

Invited for this month's cover is the group of Wingkei Ho at The Education University of Hong Kong. The Cover shows the effect of the number of heterojunction knots in an all-organic photocatalyst on the separation of photogenerated carriers. The heterojunction knots could improve the migration efficiency of carriers between Melem and the formed pyromellitic diimide.

Construction and Activity of an All-Organic Heterojunction Photocatalyst Based on Melem and Pyromellitic Dianhydride.

The separation efficiency of photogenerated carriers in the g-C N system could be improved by the construction of all-organic heterojunctions. However, g-C N has a large π-π conjugated plane that induces a low number of amino groups (-NH ), which are the sites of the heterojunction reaction with organic molecules. In this case, few heterojunction knots can be constructed, and the enhancement effect of the heterojunction cannot be fully displayed.

Highly Selective Photocatalytic CO Methanation with Water Vapor on Single-Atom Platinum-Decorated Defective Carbon Nitride.

Solar-driven CO methanation with water is an important route to simultaneously address carbon neutrality and produce fuels. It is challenging to achieve high selectivity in CO methanation due to competing reactions. Nonetheless, aspects of the catalyst design can be controlled with meaningful effects on the catalytic outcomes.

Metal-Organic Frameworks for NO Adsorption and Their Applications in Separation, Sensing, Catalysis, and Biology.

Nitrogen oxide (NO ) is a family of poisonous and highly reactive gases formed when fuel is burned at high temperatures during anthropogenic behavior. It is a strong oxidizing agent that significantly contributes to the ozone and smog in the atmosphere. Thus, NO removal is important for the ecological environment upon which the civilization depends.

Near-Infrared-Responsive Photocatalysts.

Broadening the absorption of light to the near-infrared (NIR) region is important in photocatalysis to achieve efficient solar-to-fuel conversion. NIR-responsive photocatalysts that can utilize diffusive solar energy are attractive for alleviating the energy crisis and environmental pollution. Over the past few years, considerable progress on the component and structural design of NIR-responsive photocatalysts have been reported.

Exploring the photocatalytic conversion mechanism of gaseous formaldehyde degradation on TiO-OV surface.

To understand the conversion mechanism of photocatalytic gaseous formaldehyde (HCHO) degradation, strontium (Sr)-doped TiO-OV catalysts was designed and synthesized in this study, with comparable HCHO removal performance. Our results proved that foreign-element doping reduced Ti to the lower oxidation state Ti, and that the internal charge kinetics was largely facilitated by the unbalanced electron distribution. Oxygen vacancies (OVs) were developed spontaneously to realize an electron-localized phenomenon in TiO-OV, thereby boosting O adsorption and activation for the enhanced generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS).

Photocatalytic Air Purification Using Functional Polymeric Carbon Nitrides.

The techniques for the production of the environment have received attention because of the increasing air pollution, which results in a negative impact on the living environment of mankind. Over the decades, burgeoning interest in polymeric carbon nitride (PCN) based photocatalysts for heterogeneous catalysis of air pollutants has been witnessed, which is improved by harvesting visible light, layered/defective structures, functional groups, suitable/adjustable band positions, and existing Lewis basic sites. PCN-based photocatalytic air purification can reduce the negative impacts of the emission of air pollutants and convert the undesirable and harmful materials into value-added or nontoxic, or low-toxic chemicals.

New carbon nitride close to CN with superior visible light absorption for highly efficient photocatalysis.

The rational design and construction of novel two-dimensional (2D) carbon nitrides (CNs) beyond g-CN is a hot topic in the fields of chemistry and materials. Inspired by the polymerisation of urea, we have prepared a series of novel C-C bridged heptazine CNs UO (where x is the ratio of urea to oxamide, x = 1, 1.5, 2, 2.

Improved Oxygen Activation over a Carbon/CoO Nanocomposite for Efficient Catalytic Oxidation of Formaldehyde at Room Temperature.

Oxygen activation is a key step in the catalytic oxidation of formaldehyde (HCHO) at room temperature. In this study, we synthesized a carbon/CoO nanocomposite (C-CoO) as a solution to the insufficient capability of pristine CoO (P-CoO) to activate oxygen for the first time. Oxygen activation was improved via carbon preventing the agglomeration of CoO nanoparticles, resulting in small particles (approximately 7.

Design, Fabrication, and Mechanism of Nitrogen-Doped Graphene-Based Photocatalyst.

Solving energy and environmental problems through solar-driven photocatalysis is an attractive and challenging topic. Hence, various types of photocatalysts have been developed successively to address the demands of photocatalysis. Graphene-based materials have elicited considerable attention since the discovery of graphene.

Construction of the 1D Covalent Organic Framework/2D g-CN Heterojunction with High Apparent Quantum Efficiency at 500 nm.

The reasonable construction of heterojunction photocatalysts with clear nanostructures and a good interface contact especially the one-dimensional/two-dimensional (1D/2D) composite heterojunction with unique morphology is considered one of the most effective strategies for designing highly efficient photocatalysts. Herein, a series of the 1D β-keto-enamine-based covalent organic framework (COF)/2D g-CN composite materials COF-CN (1:; where 1: represents the mass ratio of COF and g-CN, = 2.5, 5, 10, 15, 20) is prepared through the in situ reaction of 2,4,6-triformylphloroglucinol (Tp) and benzidine (BD) in stripped g-CN suspension.

Review on nickel-based adsorption materials for Congo red.

Excessive synthetic dyestuffs in the aquatic environment pose various ecological and health issues that are detrimental to sustainable development. Adsorption is considered a feasible technique of eliminating dye pollutants from the water environment because of its advantages of high efficiency, low cost, easy operation, and absence of secondary pollution. Among the many dyes, Congo red (CR) is a widely used azo dye.

Photocatalytic CO reduction of C/ZnO nanofibers enhanced by an Ni-NiS cocatalyst.

The photocatalytic reduction of CO into valuable hydrocarbon fuels via solar energy is a promising strategy for carbon utilization. In the present paper, a hierarchical Ni-NiS/C/ZnO photocatalyst was prepared via the in situ photodeposition of compact Ni-NiS nanosheets onto C/ZnO electrospun nanofibers. The existence of metallic Ni and NiS was confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.

Graphdiyne: A Brilliant Hole Accumulator for Stable and Efficient Planar Perovskite Solar Cells.

Traditional carbon materials have demonstrated immense potential in perovskite solar cells (PSCs) owing to their superior electrical properties and environmental stability. Graphdiyne (GDY), as an emerging carbon allotrope, features uniformly distributed pores, endless design flexibility, and unique electronic character compared with traditional carbon materials. Herein, graphdiyne is introduced into the upper part of the perovskite (CH NH PbI ) layer by utilizing a GDY-containing antisolvent during the one-step synthesis of perovskite.

Ultra violet filters in the urine of preschool children and drinking water.

Benzophenones (BPs) and other ultra violet (UV) filters (UV-filters) are widely used in sunblock and other personal care products, raising concerns about their adverse health risks to human, especially for children. In the present study, BP-type UV-filters and other four widely used UV-filters were evaluated in the child urinary samples (4-6 years, n = 53), tap water and commercial distilled water in Hong Kong. The results suggested that the target chemicals are ubiquitous in the subject.

Active Complexes on Engineered Crystal Facets of MnO-CeO and Scale-Up Demonstration on an Air Cleaner for Indoor Formaldehyde Removal.

Crystal facet-dominated surfaces determine the formation of surface-active complexes, and engineering specific facets is desirable for improving the catalytic activity of routine transition-metal oxides that often deactivate at low temperatures. Herein, MnO-CeO was synthetically administered to tailor the exposure of three major facets, and their distinct surface-active complexes concerning the formation and quantitative effects of oxygen vacancies, catalytically active zones, and active-site behaviors were unraveled. Compared with two other low-index facets {110} and {001}, MnO-CeO with exposed {111} facet showed higher activity for formaldehyde oxidation and CO selectivity.

Organophosphate flame retardants and bisphenol A in children's urine in Hong Kong: has the burden been underestimated?

The urine levels of organophosphate flame retardants (PFRs) and bisphenol A (BPA) in kindergarten children (n = 31, 4-6 years old, sampling performed in 2016) in Hong Kong were measured. The detection frequency of the target PFRs, tri(2-chloroethyl)phosphate (TCEP), tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TDCIPP), tris(chloroisopropyl)phosphate (TCIPP), triphenyl phosphate (TPHP) and 2-ethylhexyl diphenyl phosphate (EHDPP) ranged from 52% to 84%. The 95th percentile urinary concentrations of TPHP, TDCIPP, TCIPP, EHDPP and TCEP were 1.

Two-dimensional polyimide heterojunctions for the efficient removal of environmental pollutants under visible-light irradiation.

Two-dimensional (2D) heteromaterials with large interface contact and intimate interfacial charge transition have been considered to be an ideal model for constructing highly efficient photocatalysts. However, few studies have reported on these 2D heterojunctions. Herein, we report a series of new 2D heterojunctions comprising polyimide (PI) and perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic dianhydride (TD).

Urea and Melamine Formaldehyde Resin-Derived Tubular g-CN with Highly Efficient Photocatalytic Performance.

Construction of various nanostructure g-CN, especially those with a tubular structure, is gaining considerable research interest because of their large specific surface area, high carrier transport efficiency, and excellent mass transfer. In this study, a novel multistage tubular g-CN (TCN) has been prepared by the copolymerization of melamine formaldehyde (MF) resin with urea. With the introduction of MF resin, the electrostructure of TCN and its hydrophilicity property have been obviously ameliorated, thereby enhancing its visible-light absorption and improving the interface contact between TCN and water.

In Situ Intermediates Determination and Cytotoxicological Assessment in Catalytic Oxidation of Formaldehyde: Implications for Catalyst Design and Selectivity Enhancement under Ambient Conditions.

Formation and decay of formaldehyde oxides (CHOO) affect the complete oxidation of formaldehyde. However, the speciation and reactivity of CHOO are poorly understood because of its extremely fast kinetics and indirect measurements. Herein, three isomers of CHOO (i.

Roles of N-Vacancies over Porous g-CN Microtubes during Photocatalytic NO Removal.

The development of catalysts that effectively activate target pollutants and promote their complete conversion is an admirable objective in the environmental photocatalysis field. In this work, graphitic carbon nitride (g-CN) microtubes with tunable N-vacancy concentrations were controllably fabricated using an in situ soft-chemical method. The morphological evolution of g-CN, from the bulk to the porous tubular architecture, is discussed in detail with the aid of time-resolved hydrothermal experiments.