Enhanced Photocatalytic Efficiency Through Oxygen Vacancy-Driven Molecular Epitaxial Growth of Metal-Organic Frameworks on BiVO.

Efficient charge separation at the semiconductor/cocatalyst interface is crucial for high-performance photoelectrodes, as it directly influences the availability of surface charges for solar water oxidation. However, establishing strong molecular-level connections between these interfaces to achieve superior interfacial quality presents significant challenges. This study introduces an innovative electrochemical etching method that generates a high concentration of oxygen vacancy sites on BiVO surfaces (Ov-BiVO), enabling interactions with the oxygen-rich ligands of MIL-101.

Fluorination-mediated polarization engineering in block copolymers for enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen evolution.

Porous polymers have emerged as promising candidates for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution, but their structural rigidity and crosslinking pose significant challenges, often leading to charge recombination and inadequate water/polymer interfaces. This study introduces novel block copolymers (BCPs) comprising a rigid pyrene core and various fluorinated benzene structures coupled with flexible diethyl ether-based hydrophilic units. By computationally predicting monomer structures and dipoles, the relationship between structure and function in these BCPs is examined, particularly focusing on local charge delocalization.

Alternating 3- to 2-Order Charge Reaction Kinetics on Bismuth Vanadate Photoanodes with Ultrathin Bismuth Metal-Organic-Frameworks.

The most challenging obstacle for photocatalysts to efficiently harvest solar energy is the sluggish surface redox reaction (e. g., oxygen evolution reaction, OER) kinetics, which is believed to originate from interface catalysis rather than the semiconductor photophysics.

Oxygen Vacancy-Mediated CuWO/CuBiO Samples with Efficient Charge Transfer for Enhanced Catalytic Activity toward Photodegradation of Pharmacologically Active Compounds.

Photocatalytic degradation is a promising method for controlling the increasing contamination of the water environment due to pharmacologically active compounds (PHACs). Herein, oxygen vacancy (OV)-modulated Z-scheme CuWO/CuBiO hybrid systems were fabricated thermal treatment by loading of CuWO nanoparticles with OVs on CuBiO surfaces. The synthesized CuWO/CuBiO hybrid samples exhibited an enhanced photodegradation ability to remove PHACs under visible-light irradiation.

Revealing the enhanced photoelectrochemical water oxidation activity of Fe-based metal-organic polymer-modified BiVO photoanode.

Metal-organic polymers (MOPs) can enhance the photoelectrochemical (PEC) water oxidation performance of BiVO photoanodes, but their PEC mechanisms have yet to be comprehended. In this work, we constructed an active and stable composite photoelectrode by overlaying a uniform MOP on the BiVO surface using Fe as the metal ions and 2,5-dihydroxyterephthalic acid (DHTA) as ligand. Such modification on the BiVO surface yielded a core-shell structure that could effectively enhance the PEC water oxidation activity of the BiVO photoanode.

Graphene oxide as a multi-functional additive for compatilizer, enhancer, and barrier in ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer/aramid pulp composites.

To improve the thermal, mechanical, and barrier properties of ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH)/aramid pulp (AP), graphene oxide (GO) was used as a compatilizer, enhancer, and barrier to fabricate EVOH-based composites. The results showed that graphene oxide serves as an ideal compatilizer to reinforce the interfacial action between the EVOH matrix and aramid pulp. The EVOH/AP/GO composite presented the best combination of thermal stability, tensile strength, oxygen barrier, and heat deformation temperature by adding only 1 wt% graphene oxide, compared to those of pure EVOH.

B, N Co-Doping Sequence: An Efficient Electronic Modulation of the Pd/MXene Interface with Enhanced Electrocatalytic Properties for Ethanol Electrooxidation.

Improving the electrocatalytic properties by regulating the surface electronic structure of supported metals has always been a hot issue in electrocatalysis. Herein, two novel catalysts Pd/B-N-TiC and Pd/N-B-TiC are used as the models to explore the effect of the B and N co-doping sequence on the surface electronic structure of metals, together with the electrocatalytic properties of ethanol oxidation reaction. The two catalysts exhibit obviously stratified morphology, and the Pd nanoparticles having the same amount are both uniformly distributed on the surface.

Sustained production of HO in alkaline water solution using borate and phosphate-modified Au/TiO photocatalysts.

UV irradiation of Au/TiO2 photocatalysts in the presence of borate and phosphate anions can produce H2O2 at a millimolar level in alkaline water solution. The positive effect of the anions is ascribed to the anion-mediated hole transfer from Au/TiO2 to an electron donor which thus accelerates the two-electron reduction of O2 to H2O2.

Effect of a Co-Based Oxygen-Evolving Catalyst on TiO-Photocatalyzed Organic Oxidation.

Cobalt phosphate (CoPi) is a promising cocatalyst for the (photo)electrochemical oxidation of water over semiconductor electrodes in phosphate solution, but the effect of CoPi on organic oxidation reactions has been little studied. Herein, we report a compound-sensitive effect of CoPi on the TiO-photocatalyzed oxidation of phenol, 4-chlorophenol (CP), and 2,4-dichlorophenol (DCP) in a phosphate-containing suspension at pH 7.0.

Enhanced photocatalytic degradation of phenol over anatase TiO in neutral water on addition of iron(iii) substituted polyoxotungstate.

PWO-type polyoxometalates have been widely used as electron mediators of TiO photocatalysis for organic degradation in water, but they are stable only at pH 1-2, which greatly limits their application for water treatment. Herein we report an iron(iii)-substituted PWO (PWFe) capable of mediating the photocatalytic degradation of phenol and 2,4-dichlorophenol in an aerated aqueous suspension of anatase TiO at pH 2.0-7.