A challenge in photocatalysis consists in improving the efficiency by harnessing a large portion of the solar spectrum. We report the design and realization of a robust molecular-semiconductor photocatalytic system (MSPS) consisting of an earth-abundant phytic acid nickel (PA-Ni) biomimetic complex and polymeric carbon nitride (PCN). The MSPS exhibits an outstanding activity at l = 940 nm with high apparent quantum efficiency (AQE) of 2.8 %, particularly l > 900 nm, as it outperforms all reported state-of-the-art nearinfrared (NIR) hybrid photocatalysts without adding any noble metals. The optimum hydrogen (H 2) production activity was about 52 and 64 times higher with respect to its pristine counterpart under the AM 1.5 G and visible irradiation, respectively, being equivalent to the platinum-assisted PCN. This work sheds light on feasible avenues to prepare highly active, stable, cheap NIR-harvesting photosystems toward sustainable and scalable solar-to-H 2 production.

Synthesis of framework materials possessing specific spatial structures or containing functional ligands has attracted tremendous attention. Herein, a halogen hydrogen-bonded organic framework (XHOF) is fabricated by using Cl− ions as central connection nodes to connect organic ligands, 7,7,8,8-tetraaminoquinodimethane (TAQ), by forming a Cl−···H3 hydrogen bond structure. Unlike metallic node-linked MOFs, covalent bond-linked COFs, and intermolecular hydrogen bond-linked HOFs, XHOFs represent a different kind of crystalline framework. The electron-withdrawing effect of Cl− combined with the electron-rich property of the organic ligand TAQ strengthens the hydrogen bonds and endows XHOF-TAQ with high stability. Due to the production of excited electrons by TAQ under light irradiation, XHOF-TAQ can efficiently catalyze the reduction of soluble U(VI) to insoluble U(IV) with a capacity of 1708 mg-U g−1-material. This study fabricates a material for uranium immobilization for the sustainability of the environment and opens up a new direction for synthesizing crystalline framework materials.

An In2S3/NaTaO3 type I heterojunction photocatalyst with enhanced photocatalytic activity for the degradation of tetracycline hydrochloride was prepared.

nanosheet photocatalysts with appropriate band structure have aroused a great deal of research interest owing to their unique structural and electronic properties. In this work, carbon nitride quantum dots (CNQDs) with up-conversion property were constructed on SnNb 2 O 6 ultrathin nanosheets by a facial hydrothermal process. The as-prepared CNQDs/SnNb 2 O 6 0D/2D nanocomposites exhibited an enhanced photocatalytic performance of H 2 production under visible light irradiation (λ > 420 nm). The up-conversion behavior of CNQDs endow the CNQDs/ SnNb 2 O 6 nanocomposites with the ability of photocatalytic H 2 production at wavelengths greater than 600 nm. Moreover, the introduced CNQDs could serve as effective electron collectors and promote the transfer of photogenerated charge carriers, which is elucidated by the transient photocurrent response and electrochemical impendence spectra. Finally, a plausible photocatalytic mechanism was proposed for CNQDs/SnNb 2 O 6 nanocomposite toward the H 2 production from water splitting.

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