Non-radical activation of HO by surface-disordered WO for efficient and selective pollutant degradation with weak matrix effects.

Heterogeneous catalysis is promising for water treatment. Solid catalysts play governing roles. Herein, the surface-disordered WO, D-WO, engineered with surface and sub-surface defective sites from NaBH reduction was proven to be an effective catalyst for HO activation.

A simple strategy to refine CuO photocatalytic capacity for refractory pollutants removal: Roles of oxygen reduction and Fe(II) chemistry.

Visible-light-driven photocatalysis is a promising technology for advanced water treatment, but it usually exhibits a low efficiency. CuO is a low-cost semiconductor with narrow band gap, high absorption coefficient and suitable conduction band, but suffers from low charge mobility, poor quantum yield and weak catalytic performance. Herein, the CuO catalytic capacity for refractory pollutants degradation is drastically improved by a simple and effective strategy.

Heterogeneous activation of H2O2 by defect-engineered TiO(2-x) single crystals for refractory pollutants degradation: A Fenton-like mechanism.

The heterogeneous catalyst plays a key role in Fenton-like reaction for advanced oxidation of refractory pollutants in water treatment. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is a typical semiconductor with high industrial importance due to its earth abundance, low cost and no toxicity. In this work, it is found that TiO2 can heterogeneously activate hydrogen peroxide (H2O2, E°=1.