Defect-Induced Synergetic Effect of Bi-Based Compounds for One-Pot Conversion of Organic Pollutants into CO via Coupling Photodegradation of Carbamazepine with Photoreduction of CO₂

Abstract

The waste of carbon sources and greenhouse gas production during wastewater treatment have become extremely important environmental issues. Herein, the BiOBr/BiVO 4 compounds with defect-induced frustrated Lewis acid−base pairs (DFLPs) and internal charge transfer were fabricated to convert the organic pollutants into CO with nearly 100% selectivity. The oxygen vacancy (O v ) induced the built-in electric field in BiOBr/BiVO 4 to create directional charge transfer from BiOBr to BiVO 4 . Density functional theory (DFT) calculations prove that the O v combines its adjacent hydroxyls to form the DFLP active sites that can additionally capture and activate CO 2 . Meanwhile, the active sites in BiOBr/BiVO 4 reduce the formation-free energy of the COOH* intermediates, which is the key rate-limiting step to convert CO 2 to CO with high selectivity. This system has achieved selective conversion of value-added chemicals from organic pollutant degradation and provides a theoretical basis for actual wastewater recycling of carbon sources.

Enhanced Charge Separation in a PAN/ZnO Nanocomposite for Promoted Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution

“…Mitigating atmospheric contamination and tackling planetary warming necessitate confronting the overconsumption of fossil fuels. Pioneering transformative clean and sustainable substitute sources of energy is paramount. − Hydrogen energy, as a clean alternative to traditional fossil energy, exerts a profound influence on mitigating worldwide energy shortages and environmental contamination concerns. − The technology of photocatalytic hydrogen evolution has garnered significant focus owing to its vast capacity for solar energy storage and conversion. − Photocatalytic water decomposition, as a means to generate hydrogen, holds significant potential for future applications. Hydrogen possesses the attributes of superior energy density, eco-friendliness, the capacity to release heat through combustion, and the ability to be regeneratively transformed into water. − In recent decades, numerous approaches have been explored to attain efficient photocatalytic hydrogen production.…”