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June literature summary is as follows:
First Author
Zhou Biao, Xu Xin
Corresponding Authors
South China University of Technology - Yan Keyou, Qiu Yongcai, Chen Guangxu, Shi Tingting
Highlights of the Articles
1. Prepared a novel 2D/2D H₂WO₄/Cs₂AgBiBr6 (HWO/CABB) heterojunction.
2. HWO/CABB exhibits enhanced heterojunction interface interactions and abundant surface Br vacancies.
3. HWO/CABB demonstrates excellent CO₂ photoreduction to CH₄ generation rate.
4. The synergistic effect of heterojunction interfaces and Br vacancies in CH₄ evolution is revealed.
First Author
Zhou Wei, Wang Binghao
Corresponding Authors
Hunan University - Yin Shuangfeng, Chen Lang, Guo Junkang
Highlights of the Articles
The dry reforming of methane (DRM) involves the activation of both inert C-H bonds and C=O bonds simultaneously, posing a significant challenge under mild conditions. The slow oxygen migration during the reaction is considered a key issue leading to catalyst deactivation due to carbon accumulation. In this study, a nitrogen-doped carbon-based photocatalyst, Cu-CNN/Pd-BDCNN, was selected to propose the "dual-site dual-pathway strategy for promoting oxygen migration" in enhancing the DRM of methane. This "dual-site" design allows the active oxygen intermediate to participate directly at dual sites, and two different pathways simultaneously act on the formation of CO and H₂. Furthermore, since long-distance migration of oxygen species is not required, Cu-CNN/Pd-BDCNN photocatalyst exhibits high photocatalytic activity, good stability, and excellent synthesis gas selectivity under mild conditions.
First Author
Huang Linzi
Corresponding Authors
Xiangtan University - Fei Junjie, Zhao Pengcheng
Highlights of the Articles
A creative low-cost and simple method for detecting hydroquinone in complex water samples was developed. A CdS/SnS₂/CNTs II-type heterojunction structure was constructed for a photoelectrochemical (PEC) sensor used in the detection of hydroquinone, which exhibited an ultra-low detection limit and an extremely wide linear range.
First Author
Sun Yajie
Corresponding Authors
Beijing University of Technology - Jing Lin
Highlights of the Articles
This study achieved in-situ modulation of defects in crystalline red phosphorus structures based on point defect engineering control strategy. It revealed that phosphorus vacancies could form deep capture levels in the energy structure of crystalline red phosphorus, inducing a deep charge capture effect on photoinduced charges, thus limiting the progress of the photocatalytic water splitting reaction. On the other hand, by introducing oxygen doping to fill the phosphorus vacancy defects in crystalline red phosphorus, the inherent charge deep capture process was effectively alleviated, significantly extending the lifetime of active charges and improving the photocatalytic hydrogen production performance of crystalline red phosphorus.
First Authors
Ge Can, Xu Duo
Corresponding Author
Suzhou University - Fang Jian
Highlights of the Articles
In this work, flexible, hydrophilic, low-cost, and easy-to-process fabric was used as a substrate, and carbon black particles (CB) were employed as a load that could simultaneously serve as a photothermal conversion material and a functional power generation material. This was used to prepare an integrated 3D composite fabric-based solar-driven water-electricity co-production system to address various limitations.
First Author
Deng Aixin, Zhao En
Corresponding Authors
Nanjing Normal University - Liu Yazhi, Xu Yan, Chen Zupeng
Highlights of the Articles
1. Prepared a unique single-atom catalyst Co1Ag(1+n)-PCN with Ag-Co bimetallic single-atom asymmetric sites coexisting with Ag nanoparticles.
2. The optimized Co1Ag(1+n)-PCN catalyst exhibited a high photocatalytic CO production rate of up to 46.82 umol·g-1 and a CO selectivity of 70.1% in a sacrificial agent-free liquid-solid system. The loadings of single-atom Ag and Co were 2.4 wt% and 0.28 wt%, respectively. These performances were 2.18 times and 2.68 times higher than those of Ag1-CN and Co1Ag1-PCN, respectively.
3. In-situ XPS, in-situ EPR, in-situ FT-IR, and theoretical calculations revealed that bimetallic single-atom sites Ag-N₂C₂ and Co-N6-P acted as stepwise enhanced fast electron transfer channels, accelerating charge transfer and separation. The introduction of Ag NPs not only served as an electron acceptor for CO₂ reduction but also promoted CO₂ activation and COOH* intermediate production. The EMSI of Ag NPs and Ag-Co bimetallic single-atom sites improved electron enrichment and transfer upon light excitation, thereby accelerating CO and CH₄ generation.
First Author
Huang Linzi, Li Jiaodi
Corresponding Authors
Xiangtan University - Fei Junjie, Zhao Pengcheng
Highlights of the Articles
1. Created cauliflower-shaped CdS with a rough and wide surface.
2. CdS/rGO@Au/GCE sensors exhibited a wide linear range (5 nM ~ 4 µM).
3. The detection limit was 2.88 nM, which is 10,000 times lower than the World Health Organization's guideline.
4. The sensor was successfully used for the analysis of Cu(II) in pool water and performed well.
5. Material-target interactions were utilized to address the selectivity issue of PEC sensors.
First Author
Wang Xuehua
Corresponding Authors
Qingdao University of Science and Technology - Li Zhenjiang, Meng Alan
Highlights of the Articles
1. Constructed a ZnIn₂S₄/MoSe₂/In₂Se₃ heterojunction photocatalyst with a unique Janus Z-type charge transfer mechanism through carefully designed crystal structures, band alignments, and interface bonding modes via a two-step hydrothermal method.
2. The ZnIn₂S₄/MoSe₂/In₂Se₃ photocatalyst achieved a high hydrogen evolution rate of up to 124.42 mmol·g-1·h-1 and an apparent quantum efficiency of 22.5% at 420 nm monochromatic light.
First Author
Wang Yichao
Corresponding Authors
Heilongjiang University - Xing Zipeng, Liu Haixia, Zhou Wei
Highlights of the Articles
Considering the economic feasibility and practicality of preparing non-precious metal heterogeneous structure composite photocatalysts compared to precious metal materials or complex modifications of materials, this study selected non-precious metal materials. To construct an S-type heterojunction composite photocatalyst, the energy band structure and Fermi energy level of both materials, BiVO₄ and Zn0.5Cd0.5S, were taken into account. BiVO₄/Zn0.5Cd0.5S composite material exhibited significantly improved efficiency in photocatalytic hydrogen production and tetracycline degradation experiments. The formation of IEF was revealed by in-situ XPS and EPR, and band structure and work function were calculated through DFT calculations. The ultimate reason for the improved photocatalytic efficiency was the successful synthesis of the S-type heterojunction structure.
First Author
Zhang Yi, Guo Fangyu
Corresponding Authors
Jiangsu University - Xia Jiexiang, She Yuanbin, Zhu Huiyuan
Highlights of the Articles
Highlight One: Precise design of active sites in organic-inorganic composite materials
Through a surface oxygen vacancy-induced strategy, a rigid Bi-O bridge bond was formed between the carboxyl groups at the end of Co-TCPP and the exposed Bi atoms on Bi₃O₄Br, allowing precise integration into the [Bi₃O₄] layer for electron regulation.
Highlight Two: Rapid electron extraction and slow charge recombination processes
Electrons generated by Bi₃O₄Br were rapidly transferred to Co-TCPP through the ultrafast electron transfer pathway constructed by the Bi-O bonds, and their long-lasting relaxation behavior led to a slow recombination process in milliseconds.
Highlight Three: Kinetic study of active sites in organic-inorganic composite materials
Co-TCPP replaced oxygen vacancies and served as new active sites to enhance photocatalytic performance. In-situ MCT-SEIRES FTIR analysis and free energy calculations explained the reaction process and mechanism.
First Author
Liu Zhiguo
Corresponding Authors
East China University of Science and Technology - Zhang Jinlong, Wu Shiqun
Highlights of the Articles
1. Prepared a Ni/SOM-ZIF-8 photocatalyst with an ordered multi-level porous structure of Ni single atoms (Ni SAs) loaded on ZIF-8 through a hard template and dual-solvent crystallization strategy.
2. The presence of large pores in ordered multi-level ZIF-8 exposed more inherent microporous structures, promoting CO₂ diffusion and enrichment within the crystal structure.
3. The CO production rate and electron selectivity were 4.2 mmol·g-1·h-1 and 94%, respectively, indicating that the introduction of Ni SAs not only effectively suppressed the HER side reaction but also provided a large number of active sites, improving selectivity and yield.
4. This study demonstrated that constructing transition metal single-atom coupled MOF photocatalysts could achieve efficient suppression of HER reaction and efficient photocatalytic CO₂ reduction. Rational explanations were provided through theoretical calculations.
First Author
Wang Mengmeng
Corresponding Authors
Soochow University - Lu Jianmei, Chen Dongyun
Highlights of the Articles
Utilized a CN foam derived from melamine sponge (MS) as a carrier, constructed a 3D multi-level porous structure, and provided abundant active catalytic sites. Further modification with biomimetic porphyrin effectively promoted light capture ability. The material design avoided the aggregation of powder catalysts and solved the problem of catalyst recovery. The multi-level porous structure of the material, the high pyridinic N content caused by carbonization, and surface alkaline amination enabled the material to exhibit strong chemical adsorption characteristics for CO₂, adsorbing 57% of tetracycline pollutants in dark adsorption. This led to excellent catalytic reduction and oxidation dual functions in photocatalytic CO₂ reduction and TC degradation.
First Author
Li Jixin
Corresponding Authors
Jilin University - Shi Zhan
Highlights of the Articles
Proposed a research approach using MOFs' metal clusters as catalysts for CO₂ photocatalytic reduction and systematically compared the catalytic activities of five FeO clusters and their corresponding Fe-based MOFs.
Highlights of the Articles
In this study, through a simple one-step hydrothermal etching method, a NiFe Layered Double Hydroxide (LDH) grown on foam iron, referred to as NiFe/IF, was synthesized. Due to the rich presence of oxygen vacancies and a unique superhydrophilic/superhydrophobic surface in NiFe/IF, this catalyst exhibited outstanding electrocatalytic water splitting performance.
For the Oxygen Evolution Reaction (OER), it showed overpotentials of only 203.2 mV and 480.2 mV at current densities of 10 mA·cm-2 and 1000 mA·cm-2, respectively. Furthermore, it could operate stably for 40 hours at a high current density of 500 mA·cm-2. Remarkably, even under harsh industrial conditions (6 M KOH and 85°C), it maintained excellent stability at very high current densities of 500 mA·cm-2 and 1000 mA·cm-2.
Additionally, in-situ Raman analysis revealed that NiFe LDH underwent surface reconstruction into active species NiOOH in the electrochemical oxidation environment. When used as both the cathode and anode in a full water-splitting device, it required only a low voltage of 1.57 V to provide a current density of 10 mA·cm-1. Furthermore, when the full water-splitting device based on NiFe/IF was integrated with commercial solar cells to simulate solar-driven hydrogen production, it exhibited a high solar-to-hydrogen efficiency of 15.13%.
This work presents a new strategy for designing highly efficient and stable dual-function electrocatalysts under high current density conditions through a corrosion-based approach.
