Summary Recently, the environmental impacts of microplastics have received extensive attention owing to their accumulation in the environment. However, developing efficient technology for the control and purification of microplastics is still a big challenge. Herein, we investigated the photocatalytic degradation of typical microplastics such as polystyrene (PS) microspheres and polyethylene (PE) over TiO 2 nanoparticle films under UV light irradiation. TiO 2 nanoparticle film made with Triton X-100 showed complete mineralization (98.40%) of 400-nm PS in 12 h, while degradation for varying sizes of PS was also studied. PE degradation experiment presented a high photodegradation rate after 36 h. CO 2 was found as the main end product. The degradation mechanism and intermediates were studied by in situ DRIFTS and HPPI-TOFMS, showing the generation of hydroxyl, carbonyl, and carbon-hydrogen groups during the photodegradation of PS. This study provides a green and cost-efficient strategy for the control of microplastics contamination in the environment.

Single-atom introduced carbon nanomaterials show favorable oxygen-reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen-evolution reaction (OER) performance for renewable energy applications. Nevertheless, the electronicstructure regulation by decorating heterogeneous single-metal-atoms and the engineering of a single-atom active-sites' microenvironment need to be optimized simultaneously, which is challenging. Herein, we develop an atomic-interfacial-regulation approach to fabricate dual single Fe/Co atoms synchronized with both nitrogen/sulfur atoms on defective/graphitic/ porous carbon nanosheets (Fe,Co/DSA-NSC). The unsymmetrically organized N and S coordinated Fe/Co bridged atomic-sites [Fe-(N 2 S)/ Co-(N 2 S) moiety] are established to prompt charge-transfer, lowering the energy barrier of oxygenated reaction-intermediates and leading to boost the reaction-kinetics. As estimated, the Fe,Co/DSA-NSC exhibits an improved ORR/OER activity with higher half-wave potential and lower overpotential (E 1/2 = 879 mV and η 10 = 210 mV, respectively) and also good cycling stability toward zinc-air batteries. This discovery hence provides a widespread scheme for the synergistic-principles of dual-single-atom catalysts and controlled regulation of an active-sites' microenvironment toward energy applications.

Recent developments in the electrochemical and photoelectrochemical reduction of CO2to chemical fuels are reviewed.

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Exclusive C2 selectivity of Cu-Nplates over C1 during electrocatalytic CO2 reduction offers opportunities for large scale, long-term renewable energy storage and lessens carbon emissions.