Electric double layer-mediated polarization field for optimizing photogenerated carrier dynamics and thermodynamics

Noble-Metal-Free Cocatalysts Reinforcing Hole Consumption for Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution with Ultrahigh Apparent Quantum Efficiency

Achieving efficient and sustainable hydrogen production through photocatalysis is highly promising yet remains a significant challenge, especially when replacing costly noble metals with more abundant alternatives. Conversion efficiency with noble-metal-free alternatives is frequently limited by high charge recombination rates, mainly due to the sluggish transfer and inefficient consumption of photo-generated holes. To address these challenges, a rational design of noble-metal-free cocatalysts as oxidative sites is reported to facilitate hole consumption, leading to markedly increased H2 yield rates without relying on expensive noble metals. By integrating femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy with in situ characterizations and theoretical calculations, the rapid hole consumption is compellingly confirmed, which in turn promotes the effective separation and migration of photo-generated carriers. The optimized catalyst delivers an impressive photocatalytic H2 yield rate of 57.84 mmol gcat -1 h-1, coupled with an ultrahigh apparent quantum efficiency reaching up to 65.8%. Additionally, a flow-type quartz microreactor is assembled using the optimal catalyst thin film, which achieves a notable H2 yield efficiency of 0.102 mL min-1 and maintains high stability over 1260 min of continuous operation. The strategy of reinforcing hole consumption through noble-metal-free cocatalysts establishes a promising pathway for scalable and economically viable solar H2 production.

Interface-Engineered CuxO@Bi2MoO6 Heterojunctions to Inhibit Piezoelectric Screening Effect and Promote Double-Nanozyme Catalysis for Antibacterial Treatment

Sonodynamic therapy is confronted with the low acoustic efficiency of sonosensitizers, and nanozymes are accompanied by intrinsic low catalytic activity. Herein, to increase the piezopotential of N-type piezoelectric semiconductors, the P-N heterojunction is designed to inhibit the piezoelectric screening effect (PSE) and increase electron utilization efficiency to enhance nanozyme activity. P-type CuxO nanoparticles are in situ grown on N-type piezoelectric Bi2MoO6 (BMO) nanoflakes (NFs) to construct heterostructured CuxO@BMO by interface engineering. CuxO deposition leads to lattice distortion of BMO NFs to improve piezoelectric response, and the strong interface electric field (IEF) suppresses PSE and increases piezopotential. The nonlocal piezopotential, local IEF, and glutathione (GSH) inoculation enhances electron-hole separation and increases peroxidase (POD)-like activity of BMO and GSH oxidase (GSHOx)-like activity of CuxO with high selectivity. The heterojunction formation causes the transfer and rearrangement of interface electrons, and the increased piezopotential accelerates electron transfer at interfaces with bacteria, thus increasing the production of reactive oxidative species and interfering with adenosine triphosphate synthesis. The heterostructured nanozymes produce abundant intracellular ·OH and achieve 4log magnitude reductions in viable bacteria and effective biofilm dispersion. This study elucidates integral mechanisms of nanozyme and acoustic catalysis and opens up a new way to synergize high piezopotential and nanozyme-catalyzed therapy.

In-Situ Anchoring of Co Single-Atom Synergistically with Cd Vacancy of Cadmium Sulfide for Boosting Asymmetric Charge Distribution and Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution

In the context of reshaping the energy pattern, designing and synthesizing high-performance noble metal-free photocatalysts with ultra-high atomic utilization for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) still remains a challenge. In a streamlined synthesis process, in-situ single atom anchoring is performed in parallel with HER by irradiating a precursory defect-state CdS/Co suspension (Co-DCdS-Ss) system under simulated sunlight and the in-situ synthesizing single-atom Co photocatalyst (Co5:DCdS) exhibits further improved catalytic performance (60.10 mmol g-1 h-1) compared with Co-DCdS-Ss (18.09 mmol g-1 h-1), reaching an apparent quantum yield of 57.6% at 500 nm and a solar-chemical energy conversion efficiency (SCC) of 6.26% at AM 1.5G. In-depth characterization tests and density functional theory (DFT) calculations prove that the anchoring of Co single atom deepens the asymmetric charge distribution of the two-coordination S atom adjacent to the cadmium vacancy (VCd). The synergy between electron delocalization VCd and Co single atom on the catalyst surface is constructed, which bifunctional sites responsible for boosting water adsorption-dissociation and hydrogen evolution. This study advances the understanding of the underlying mechanisms of synergy between surface defects and metal single atoms and opens a new horizon for the development of advanced materials in the field of photocatalysis.

Switching Electric Double Layer Potential by Phase Structure Control for Advanced Oxygen Reduction Reaction of Cobalt@Nitrogen Doped Carbon Core-Shell

The key to design an advanced oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) electrocatalyst is a well-balance between the adsorption and desorption of oxygen intermediates. This study systematically evaluated the ORR activity of HCP and FCC cobalt core-shell cobalt/N-doped carbon (Cobalt@NC) catalyst via theoretical and experimental studies. The electronic structure calculations using density functional theory (DFT) calculations revealed that the ORR activity of carbon layer can be improved by 1) switching the electrostatic potential in the electrical double layer due to the polarization induced at the carbon-cobalt interface and 2) modulating the electron population in the bonding orbital in the C-O bonds in an ORR. The results revealed that an O atom is bounded stronger to the outer NC shell with FCC Cobalt than HCP Cobalt, which hindered the desorption steps of OH*. Experimentally, plasma-engineered HCP Cobalt@NC also showed remarkably advanced performance toward ORR compared to that FCC Cobalt@NC. The kinetic current density of HCP Cobalt@NC at 0.85 V versus RHE is calculated as 6.24 mA cm-2, which is six folds higher than FCC Cobalt@NC and even outperform 20 wt.% Pt/C. In a practical Aluminium-air battery, HCP Cobalt@NC also exhibited slightly higher peak power density (110.57 mW cm-2) compared to 20 wt.% Pt/C.

Dual-plasmonic Au@Cu7S4 yolk@shell nanocrystals for photocatalytic hydrogen production across visible to near infrared spectral region

Near infrared energy remains untapped toward the maneuvering of entire solar spectrum harvesting for fulfilling the nuts and bolts of solar hydrogen production. We report the use of Au@Cu7S4 yolk@shell nanocrystals as dual-plasmonic photocatalysts to achieve remarkable hydrogen production under visible and near infrared illumination. Ultrafast spectroscopic data reveal the prevalence of long-lived charge separation states for Au@Cu7S4 under both visible and near infrared excitation. Combined with the advantageous features of yolk@shell nanostructures, Au@Cu7S4 achieves a peak quantum yield of 9.4% at 500 nm and a record-breaking quantum yield of 7.3% at 2200 nm for hydrogen production in the absence of additional co-catalysts. The design of a sustainable visible- and near infrared-responsive photocatalytic system is expected to inspire further widespread applications in solar fuel generation. In this work, the feasibility of exploiting the localized surface plasmon resonance property of self-doped, nonstoichiometric semiconductor nanocrystals for the realization of wide-spectrum-driven photocatalysis is highlighted.