Sub-5 nm ultra-fine iron phosphide (FeP) nano-dots-modified porous graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) heterojunction nanostructures are successfully prepared through the gas-phase phosphorization of Fe3O4/g-C3N4 nanocomposites. The incorporation of zero-dimensional (0D) ultra-small FeP nanodots co-catalysts not only effectively facilitate charge separation but also serve as reaction active sites for hydrogen (H2) evolution. Herein, the strongly coupled FeP/g-C3N4 hybrid systems are employed as precious-metal-free photocatalysts for H2 production under visible-light irradiation. The optimized FeP/g-C3N4 sample displays a maximum H2 evolution rate of 177.9 μmol h–1 g–1 with the apparent quantum yield of 1.57% at 420 nm. Furthermore, the mechanism of photocatalytic H2 evolution using 0D/2D FeP/g-C3N4 heterojunction interfaces is systematically corroborated by steady-state photoluminescence (PL), time-resolved PL spectroscopy, and photoelectrochemical results. Additionally, an increased donor density in FeP/g-C3N4 is evidenced from the Mott–Schottky analysis in comparison with that of parent g-C3N4, signifying the enhancement of electrical conductivity and charge transport owing to the emerging role of FeP. The density functional theory calculations reveal that the FeP/g-C3N4 hybrids could act as a promising catalyst for the H2 evolution reaction. Overall, this work not only paves a new path in the engineering of monodispersed FeP-decorated g-C3N4 0D/2D robust nanoarchitectures but also elucidates potential insights for the utilization of noble-metal-free FeP nanodots as remarkable co-catalysts for superior photocatalytic H2 evolution.

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Exploring non‐noble metal photocatalysts with high activity and stability is always fascinating. Herein, the hollow CoS nanocages deriven from ZIF‐67 have been reported for the first time to combine with CeO2 NPs grown in situ for photocatalytic degradation of stubborn pollutants. The unique CoS nanocages not only provide rich active sites but also enhance light capture. CeO2 NPs loaded on the surface accelerate the separation of photocharges and extend the lifetime of photogenerated carriers. The optimized photocatalysts show outstanding activity and stability for the photodegradation of tetracycline and phenol under visible light, and the corresponding photodegradation efficiency is 96.5% and 90.5% at 60 minutes. The novel multi‐stage nanocage structure simultaneously realizes extended light absorption and improved photocharges transfer efficiency. This work provides an exclusive perspective to design high‐efficiency photocatalysts with hollow structures for environmental restoration.

High-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) has been shown to play an important role in improving consciousness in patients with disorders of consciousness (DOCs), but its neuroelectrophysiological evidence is still lacking. To better explain the electrophysiological mechanisms of the effects of HD-tDCS on patients with DOCs, 22 DOC patients underwent 10 anodal HD-tDCS sessions of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). This study used the Coma Recovery Scale-Revised (CRS-R) to assess the level of consciousness in DOC patients. According to whether the CRS-R score increased before and after stimulation, DOC patients were divided into a responsive group and a non-responsive group. By comparing the differences in resting-state EEG functional connectivity between different frequency bands and brain regions, as well as the relationship between functional connectivity values and clinical scores, the electrophysiological mechanism of the clinical effects of HD-tDCS was further explored. The change of the phase locking value (PLV) on the theta frequency band in the left frontal–parietooccipital region was positively correlated with the change in the CRS-R scores. As the number of interventions increased, we observed that in the responsive group, the change in PLV showed an upward trend, and the increase in the PLV appeared in the left frontal–parietooccipital region at 4–8 Hz and in the intra-bifrontal region at 8–13 Hz. In the non-responsive group, although the CRS-R scores did not change after stimulation, the PLV showed a downward trend, and the decrease in the PLV appeared in the intra-bifrontal region at 8–13 Hz. In addition, at the three-month follow-up, patients with increased PLV in the intra-bifrontal region at 8–13 Hz after repeated HD-tDCS stimulation had better outcomes than those without. Repeated anodal stimulation of the left DLPFC with HD-tDCS resulted in improved consciousness in some patients with DOCs. The increase in functional connectivity in the brain regions may be associated with the improvement of related awareness after HD-tDCS and may be a predictor of better long-term outcomes.

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As medical technology continues to improve, many patients diagnosed with brain injury survive after treatments but are still in a coma. Further, multiple clinical studies have demonstrated recovery of consciousness after transcranial direct current stimulation. To identify possible neurophysiological mechanisms underlying disorders of consciousness (DOCs) improvement, we examined the changes in multiple resting-state EEG microstate parameters after high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS). Because the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex is closely related to consciousness, it is often chosen as a stimulation target for tDCS treatment of DOCs. A total of 21 patients diagnosed with prolonged DOCs were included in this study, and EEG microstate analysis of resting state EEG datasets was performed on all patients before and after interventions. Each of them underwent 10 anodal tDCS sessions of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex over 5 consecutive working days. According to whether the clinical manifestations improved, DOCs patients were divided into the responsive (RE) group and the non-responsive (N-RE) group. The dynamic changes of resting state EEG microstate parameters were also analyzed. After multiple HD-tDCS interventions, the duration and coverage of class C microstates in the RE group were significantly increased. This study also found that the transition between microstates A and C increased, while the transition between microstates B and D decreased in the responsive group. However, these changes in EEG microstate parameters in the N-RE group have not been reported. Our findings suggest that EEG neural signatures have the potential to assess consciousness states and that improvement in the dynamics of brain activity was associated with the recovery of DOCs. This study extends our understanding of the neural mechanism of DOCs patients in consciousness recovery.

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