BiOX (X = Cl, Br, I) photocatalytic nanomaterials: Applications for fuels and environmental management

Two-Dimensional Li-Based Ternary Chalcogenides for Photocatalysis

Motivated by fundamental interest and practical applications, the investigations of two-dimensional photocatalysts are fascinating subjects in clean energy. Herein, we propose that two-dimensional Li-based ternary chalcogenides LiXY₂ (X = Al, Ga, In; Y = S, Se, Te) have intrinsic polarization and direct band gaps. Our results show that LiXY₂ materials possess optical absorption spectra covering the visible and ultraviolet range. We show that these materials possess extremely high electron mobility (∼10³ cm² V^-1 s^-1), providing great potential in overall water splitting. Furthermore, LiAlS₂ and LiGaS₂ can facilitate overall water splitting regardless of their energy gaps because of the large differences of surface electronic potentials of LiXY₂. Importantly, it is feasible to exfoliate the layered LiAlTe₂ from its bulk counterpart in experiments. Our findings open an exotic pathway to realizing promising photocatalytic applications in two-dimensional ternary materials.

Powerful combination of g-C3N4 and LDHs for enhanced photocatalytic performance: A review of strategy, synthesis, and applications

The utilization of solar energy with photocatalytic technology has been considered a good solution to alleviate environmental pollution and energy shortage. Constructing 2D/2D heterostructure photocatalysts with layered double hydroxide (LDH) and graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄) is an effective approach to attain high performance in solar photocatalysis. This paper provides a review of recent studies about 2D/2D LDH/g-C₃N₄ heterostructure photocatalysts. Main strategies for constructing the desired 2D/2D heterojunction are summarized. The planar structure of LDH and g-C₃N₄ offers a shorter transfer distance for charge carriers and reduces electron-hole recombination in the bulk phase. The face-to-face contact between the two materials can promote the charge transfer across the heterostructure interface, thus improving the electron-hole separation efficiency. The performance and mechanisms of LDH/g-C₃N₄ photocatalysts in hydrogen production, CO₂ reduction, and organic pollutant degradation are analyzed and discussed. Incorporating reduced graphene oxide or Ag nanoparticles into LDH/g-C₃N₄ heterojunction and fabricating calcined LDH/g-C₃N₄ composites are effective strategies to further facilitate charge transfer at the interface of LDH and g-C₃N₄ and improve the absorption capacity for visible light. This review is expected to provide basic insights into the design of 2D/2D LDH/g-C₃N₄ heterojunctions and their applications in solar photocatalysis.

Evolutions of different microbial populations and the relationships with matrix properties during agricultural waste composting with amendment of iron (hydr)oxide nanoparticles

This study investigated the evolutions of different microbial populations and multivariate relationships between their abundances and environmental variables during composting with amendment of Fe (hydr)oxide nanoparticles. Piles treated with nanohematite and nanomagnetite were denoted as T-nanohematite and T-nanomagnetite, and another one was T-control. It was found that nanohematite more effectively increased bacteria and fungi abundances with 1.24∼1.58 times average value of T-control, while nanomagnetite was more useful to actinomycetes. As the most significant variable, the total effect of temperature in T-control and T-nanomagnetite was increased to 0.87 and 0.92, respectively, because both the direct and indirect effects were positive, while it in T-nanohematite was reduced to 0.18 by the negative indirect effect. Partial redundancy analysis suggested that each microbial abundance shared different relationships with composting parameters. Overall, actinomycetes was more sensitive to changes of composting parameters than bacteria and fungi.

Metal Organic Frameworks as Robust Host of Palladium Nanoparticles in Heterogeneous Catalysis: Synthesis, Application, and Prospect

Metal organic frameworks (MOFs) are one set of the most excellent supports for Pd nanoparticles (NPs). MOFs as the host mainly have the following advantages: (i) they provide size limits for highly dispersed Pd NPs; (ii) fixing Pd NPs is beneficial for separation and reuse, avoiding the loss of expensive metals; (iii) the MOFs skeleton is diversified and functionalized, which is beneficial to enhancing the interaction with Pd NPs and prolonging the service life of the catalyst. This review discusses the synthesis strategy of Pd@MOF, which provides guidance for the synthesis of similar materials. After that, the research advance of Pd@MOF in heterogeneous catalysis is comprehensively summarized, including C-C coupling reaction, benzyl alcohol oxidation reaction, simple olefin hydrogenation reaction, nitroaromatic compound reduction, tandem reaction, and the photocatalysis, with the emphasis in providing a comparison with the performance of other alternative Pd-containing catalysts. In the final section, this review presents the current challenges and which are the next goals in this field.

Recent advances in toxicological research of nanoplastics in the environment: A review

Nanoplastics have attracted increasing attention in recent years due to their widespread existence in the environment and the potential adverse effects on living organisms. In this paper, the toxic effects of nanoplastics on organisms were systematically reviewed. The translocation and absorption of nanoplastics, as well as the release of additives and contaminants adsorbed on nanoplastics in the organism body were discussed, and the potential adverse effects of nanoplastics on human health were evaluated. Nanoplastics can be ingested by organisms, be accumulated in their body and be transferred along the food chains. Nanoplastics showed effects on the growth, development and reproduction of organisms, and disturbing the normal metabolism. The toxic effects on living organisms mainly depended on the surface chemical properties and the particle size of nanoplastics. Positively charged nanoplastics showed more significant effects on the normal physiological activity of cells than negatively charged nanoplastics, and smaller particle sized nanoplastics could more easily penetrate the cell membranes, hence, accumulated in tissues and cells. Additionally, the release of additives and contaminants adsorbed on nanoplastics in organism body poses more significant threats to organisms than nanoplastics themselves. However, there are still knowledge gaps in the determination and quantification of nanoplastics, as well as their contaminant release mechanisms, degradation rates and process from large plastics to nanoplastics, and the transportation of nanoplastics along food chains. These challenges would hinder the risk assessment of nanoplastics in the environment. It is necessary to further develop the risk assessment of nanoplastics and deeply investigate its toxicological effects.

Impacts of iron oxide nanoparticles on organic matter degradation and microbial enzyme activities during agricultural waste composting

The effects of iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs, including Fe₂O₃ NPs and Fe₃O₄ NPs) on composting were investigated through evaluating their influences on organic matter (OM) degradation, dehydrogenase (DHA) and urease (UA) activities, and quality of the final compost product. Results showed that composting amended with Fe₂O₃ NPs was more effective to facilitate OM degradation. At the end of composting, the total OM loss in T-C, T-Fe₂O₃ NPs and T-Fe₃O₄ NPs was 66.19%, 75.53% and 61.31%, respectively. DHA and UA were also improved on the whole by the amendment of IONPs, especially Fe₂O₃ NPs. Although relationships between enzyme activities and environmental variables were changed by different treatments, temperature was the most influential to variations of both DHA and UA in all treatments, which independently explained 75.1%, 34.7% and 38.4% of variations in the two enzyme activities in T-C, T-Fe₂O₃ NPs and T-Fe₃O₄ NPs, respectively. Compared with DHA, UA was more closely related to the environmental parameters. The germination index in T-C, T-Fe₂O₃ NPs and T-Fe₃O₄ NPs was 134.49%, 153.64% and 146.76%, and the average shoot length was 3.16, 3.87 and 3.45 cm, respectively, indicating that amendment of IONPs, especially Fe₂O₃ NPs, could promote seed germination and seedling growth. Therefore, composting amended with IONPs was a feasible and promising method to improve composting performance, enzyme activities as well as quality of the final compost product.

Poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) Assisted Room-Temperature Synthesis for the Mass Production of Bismuth Oxychloride Ultrathin Nanoplates with Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity

Bismuth oxychloride ultrathin nanoplates (BiOCl-UTNs) are highly active, but their preparation are limited to closed-vessel hydrothermal and solvothermal techniques at high temperatures (110-180 °C). Here we report a straightforward poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) (PSS)-mediated route for the large-scale synthesis of BiOCl-UTNs at room-temperature. In an open vessel, 6.15 g of BiOCl-UTNs with 3-5 nm thickness, and planar dimensions of 30-50 nm were produced. The strong electrostatic interaction between PSS and [Bi₂ O₂ ]²⁺ layers inhibited the growth rate of BiOCl nanoplates along <001> direction, and Na⁺ ions governed the electrolyte sedimentation to produce BiOCl-UTNs. The resulting BiOCl-UTNs exhibited high photocatalytic activity for the degradation of antibiotics and organic dyes because of their large specific surface area, increased light absorption ability, and fast separation and transfer efficiency of the photoexcited charge carriers.

Alleviation of heavy metal and silver nanoparticle toxicity and enhancement of their removal by hydrogen sulfide in Phanerochaete chrysosporium

Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S), an important cellular signaling molecule, plays vital roles in mediating responses to biotic/abiotic stresses. Influences of H₂S on metal removal, cell viability, and antioxidant response of Phanerochaete chrysosporium upon exposure to heavy metals and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in the present study were investigated. An enhancement in Pb(ΙΙ) removal with an increase in concentration of the H₂S donor sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS) was observed, and the maximum removal efficiencies increased by 31% and 17% under 100 and 200 mg/L Pb(ΙΙ) exposure, respectively, in the presence of 500 μM NaHS. Application of 500 μM NaHS increased the cell viability by 15%-39% under Pb(II) stress (10-200 mg/L) with relative to the untreated control. Increase in total Ag uptake and cell survival was also elicited by NaHS in a concentration-dependent manner under AgNP stress. Meanwhile, activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase were significantly enhanced with the introduction of NaHS under stresses of Pb(II), Cd(II), Cu(II), Zn(II), Ni(II), and AgNPs. The inhibition in lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress was observed in P. chrysosporium cells exposed to these toxicants following NaHS pretreatment, which could be attributed to the upregulation in antioxidant enzymes. The results obtained suggest that H₂S can alleviate heavy metals and AgNP-induced toxicity to P. chrysosporium and improve the removal efficiency of these toxicants from wastewater.

Adsorption behavior of engineered carbons and carbon nanomaterials for metal endocrine disruptors: Experiments and theoretical calculation

Adsorption behaviors and mechanisms of metal endocrine disruptors (Pb²⁺, Cd²⁺, and Hg²⁺) by pyrogenic carbonaceous materials including engineered carbons (biochar and activated carbon) and carbon nanomaterials (multi-walled carbon nanotubes and graphene oxide) have been investigated by experimental and density functional theory (DFT) studies. The adsorption isotherms of metal endocrine disruptors on carbonaceous materials were better fitted by Langmuir models. The adsorption capacities were in the order as follows: GO > BC600 > BC300 > CNT > AC for Pb²⁺, GO > BC300 > AC > BC600 > CNT for Cd²⁺, and GO > BC300 ≥ AC > CNT > BC600 for Hg²⁺, respectively. The DFT-computed binding energy (kcal/mol) of different oxygen-containing functional groups with metal endocrine disruptors followed the orders: (ⅰ) CMCOCPb (-136.70) > CM-COO^--Pb (-91.58) > CMCOPb (-33.57) > CMOHPb (-4.69), (ⅱ) CM-COO^--Cd (-45.91) > CMCOCCd (-4.49) > CMOHCd (-3.68) > CMCOCd (1.08), (ⅲ) CM-COO^--Hg (-25.51) > CMCOCHg (-3.58) > CMOHHg (-0.63) > CMCOHg (0.23). And COC has the highest binding energy for Pb²⁺, whereas COC has much lower binding energy for Cd²⁺ and Hg²⁺. Comprehensively considering DFT calculations, competitive adsorption results and the cost analysis, this work may provide insights into the design of selective adsorbent for specific contaminant.

Potential utility of graphene-based nano spinel ferrites as adsorbent and photocatalyst for removing organic/inorganic contaminants from aqueous solutions: A mini review

Toxic substances such as heavy metals or persistent organic pollutants raise global environmental concerns. Thus, diverse water decontamination approaches using nano-adsorbents and/or photocatalysts based on nanotechnology are being developed. Particularly, many studies have examined the removal of organic and inorganic contaminants with novel graphene-based nano spinel ferrites (GNSFs) as potential cost-effective alternatives to traditionally used materials, owing to their enhanced physical and chemical properties. The introduction of magnetic spinel ferrites into 2-D graphene-family nanomaterials to form GNSFs brings various benefits such as inhibited particle agglomeration, enhanced active surface area, and easier magnetic separation for reuse, making the GNSFs highly efficient and eco-friendly materials. Here, we present a short review on the state-of-the-art progresses on developments of GNSFs, as well as their potential application for removing several recalcitrant contaminants including organic dyes, antibiotics, and heavy metal ions. Particularly, the mechanisms involved in the adsorptive and photocatalytic degradation are thoroughly reviewed, and the reusability of the GNSFs is also highlighted. This review concludes that the GNSFs hold great potential in remediating contaminated aquatic environments. Further studies are needed for their practical and large-scale applications.

Fabrication of ploydopamine-kaolin supported Ag nanoparticles as effective catalyst for rapid dye decoloration

In this work, silver nanoparticles supported on polydopamine-kaolin composite (PDA-kaolin-Ag) was fabricated by an in-situ reduction method with PDA as both reductant and stabilizer. The morphology, composition, and structure of PDA-kaolin-Ag composite were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The catalytic reduction tests confirmed the importance of PDA modification and high catalytic activities of this as-prepared PDA-kaolin-Ag composite towards a model dye Rhodamine B. The catalytic reduction processes followed pseudo-first order kinetics. Meanwhile, this catalyst showed excellent stability and recyclability for dye decoloration. Furthermore, this composite also exhibited good catalytic performance on methylene blue, methyl orange, and Congo red. These results suggest that PDA-kaolin-Ag composites can be used as efficient and cost-effective catalyst for the decoloration of various organic dyes.

Enhanced photocatalytic New Coccine degradation and Pb(II) reduction over graphene oxide-TiO2 composite in the presence of aspartic acid-β-cyclodextrin

In this work, aspartic acid-β-cyclodextrin (ACD) was synthesized by the reaction of β-cyclodextrin with aspartic acid and epichlorohydrin, and graphene oxide-TiO₂ (GO-TiO₂) composite catalyst was prepared by a hydrothermal method. The complexation of ACD with New Coccine (NC) and Pb²⁺ was characterized with FT-IR and XPS, respectively, the results show that ACD can simultaneously complex NC and Pb²⁺. XRD analysis and SEM images of GO-TiO₂ show that TiO₂ platelets are well distributed on both sides of the graphene oxide sheets, and display a similar XRD pattern to the pure TiO₂ nanoparticles with the typical diffraction peak of anatase phase. The effects of ACD on the photocatalytic degradation of NC and photocatalytic reduction of Pb²⁺ were investigated in the single pollution system, and the synergistic effects on the simultaneous photocatalytic NC degradation and Pb²⁺ reduction in the presence of ACD were also evaluated. The results showed that the presence of ACD was favorable to the acceleration of photocatalytic oxidation of NC and photocatalytic reduction of Pb²⁺ in the single pollution system, and the photocatalytic reaction rate constants of NC and Pb²⁺ in the presence of ACD increased 58% and 42%, respectively. For the combined pollution system, the synergistic effects on the simultaneous conversion of NC and Pb²⁺ in aqueous solutions were also further enhanced. ACD enhanced photocatalytic activity was attributed to the improvement of the electron transfer and mass transfer at the GO-TiO₂ interface.

Plasmon Ag and CdS quantum dot co-decorated 3D hierarchical ball-flower-like Bi5O7I nanosheets as tandem heterojunctions for enhanced photothermal–photocatalytic performance

Bi₅O₇I/Ag/CdS tandem heterojunction photocatalysts show excellent photothermal and photocatalytic performance, which is attributed to the formation of tandem heterojunctions, surface plasmon resonance, and 3D hierarchical structure.

Enhanced photocatalytic reduction of CO2 to CO over BiOBr assisted by phenolic resin-based activated carbon spheres

Photocatalytic reduction of CO₂ using solar energy to decrease CO₂ emission is a promising clean renewable fuel production technology. Recently, Bi-based semiconductors with excellent photocatalytic activity and carbon-based carriers with large specific surface areas and strong CO₂ adsorption capacity have attracted extensive attention. In this study, activated carbon spheres (ACSs) were obtained via carbonization and steam activation of phenolic resin-based carbon spheres at 850 °C synthesized by suspension polymerization. Then, the BiOBr/ACSs sample was successfully prepared via a simple impregnation method. The as-prepared samples were characterized by XRD, SEM, EDX, DRS, PL, EIS, XPS, BET, CO₂ adsorption isotherm and CO₂-TPD. The BiOBr and BiOBr/ACSs samples exhibited high CO selectivity for photocatalytic CO₂ reduction, and BiOBr/ACSs achieved a rather higher photocatalytic activity (23.74 μmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹) than BiOBr (2.39 μmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹) under simulated sunlight irradiation. Moreover, the analysis of the obtained results indicates that in this photocatalyst system, due to their higher micropore surface area and larger micropore volume, ACSs provide enough physical adsorption sites for CO₂ adsorption, and the intrinsic structure of ACSs can offer effective electron transfer ability for a fast and efficient separation of photo-induced electron–hole pairs. Finally, a possible enhanced photocatalytic mechanism of BiOBr/ACSs was investigated and proposed. Our findings should provide new and important research ideas for the construction of highly efficient photocatalyst systems for the reduction of CO₂ to solar fuels and chemicals.

Photocatalytic reduction of CO₂ using solar energy to decrease CO₂ emission is a promising clean renewable fuel production technology.

Band gap engineering of BiOI via oxygen vacancies induced by graphene for improved photocatalysis

A reduced graphene oxide–bismuth iodide oxide (rGO–BiOI) composite was prepared by a thermal reduction method.

Fabrication of a Z-scheme AgBr/Bi4O5Br2 nanocomposite and its high efficiency in photocatalytic N2 fixation and dye degradation

Z-scheme AgBr/Bi₄O₅Br₂ nanocomposite was synthesized via a simple ion-exchange method and firstly applied in photocatalytic N₂ fixation under simulated sunlight.

Nanostructured materials for photocatalysis

Photocatalysis is a green technology which converts abundantly available photonic energy into useful chemical energy.

Recyclable Visible Light-Driven O-g-C3N4/Graphene Oxide/N-Carbon Nanotube Membrane for Efficient Removal of Organic Pollutants

Organic pollutants are harmful to human health, which creates a global need for the development of novel and effective materials for efficiently removing contaminants. Accordingly, an efficient visible light-driven heterostructured membrane combined with oxygen-modified monolayer g-C₃N₄, graphene oxide, and nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes (CNTs) (O-g-C₃N₄/GO/N-CNT) was successfully fabricated through electrostatic interactions and subsequent vacuum filtration. The results suggested that the O-g-C₃N₄/GO/N-CNT membrane exhibited higher degradation rate than those of O-g-C₃N₄/GO and pure O-g-C₃N₄ under visible light exposure. This enhanced photocatalytic performance was attributed to the introduction of GO and N-CNT, which acted as electronic acceptors for monolayer O-g-C₃N₄ that effectively inhibited recombination of photogenerated electron-hole pairs, thus enhancing visible light photocatalytic activity. Furthermore, the enrichment and degradation rates of O-g-C₃N₄/GO/N-CNT membranes were demonstrated for tetracycline hydrochloride, which were found to be 96.64 and 94.30%, respectively, and no distinct enrichment or catalytic activity reduction was observed when their reusability was measured. These results suggested that these recyclable O-g-C₃N₄/GO/N-CNT membranes provide a new strategy for the highly efficient removal of environmental pollutants.

Application of BiOX Photocatalysts in Remediation of Persistent Organic Pollutants

Bismuth oxyhalides have recently gained attention for their promise as photocatalysts. Due to their layered structure, these materials present fascinating and highly desirable physicochemical properties including visible light photocatalytic capability and improved charge separation. While bismuth oxyhalides have been rigorously evaluated for the photocatalytic degradation of dyes and many synthesis strategies have been employed to enhance this property, relatively little work has been done to test them against pharmaceuticals and pesticides. These persistent organic pollutants are identified as emerging concerns by the EPA and effective strategies must be developed to combat them. Here, we review recent work directed at characterizing the nature of the interactions between bismuth oxyhalides and persistent organic pollutants using techniques including LC-MS/MS for the determination of photocatalytic degradation intermediates and radical scavenging to determine active species during photocatalytic degradation. The reported investigations indicate that the high activity of bismuth oxyhalides for the breakdown of persistent organic pollutants from water can be largely attributed to the strong oxidizing power of electron holes in the valence band. Unlike conventional catalysts like TiO2, these catalysts can also function in ambient solar conditions. This suggests a much wider potential use for these materials as green catalysts for industrial photocatalytic transformation, particularly in flow chemistry applications.

Ag₂CO₃ Decorating BiOCOOH Microspheres with Enhanced Full-Spectrum Photocatalytic Activity for the Degradation of Toxic Pollutants

The development of excellent full-spectrum photocatalysts is of vital significance to its practical application in environmental remediation. Herein, flower-like Ag₂CO₃/BiOCOOH type I heterostructures were prepared via a facile method and exhibited powerful photocatalytic activity by removing various toxic pollutants (rhodamine B, methyl blue, and tetracycline hydrochloride) under simulated sunlight irradiation. The boosted photocatalytic performance is attributed to the expanded range of the absorption spectrum and alleviated separation rate of the photo-induced electrons and holes. The photoluminescence spectra and trapping experiment were applied to clarify the photocatalytic reaction mechanism of Ag₂CO₃/BiOCOOH. The holes and •O₂⁻ were detected as the dominant reactive species involved in pollutant degradation. This work provides a novel full-spectrum-driven photocatalyst of Ag₂CO₃/BiOCOOH, which could effectively degrade toxic pollutants under simulated sunlight.

Facile Synthesis of Bi2MoO6 Microspheres Decorated by CdS Nanoparticles with Efficient Photocatalytic Removal of Levfloxacin Antibiotic

Developing high-efficiency and stable visible-light-driven (VLD) photocatalysts for removal of toxic antibiotics is still a huge challenge at present. Herein, a novel CdS/Bi2MoO6 heterojunction with CdS nanoparticles decorated Bi2MoO6 microspheres has been obtained by a simple solvothermal-precipitation-calcination method. 1.0CdS/Bi2MoO6 has stronger light absorption ability and highest photocatalytic activity with levofloxacin (LEV) degradation efficiency improving 6.2 or 12.6 times compared to pristine CdS or Bi2MoO6. CdS/Bi2MoO6 is very stable during cycling tests, and no appreciable activity decline and microstructural changes are observed. Results signify that the introduction of CdS could enhance the light absorption ability and dramatically boost the separation of charge carriers, leading to the excellent photocatalytic performance of the heterojunction. This work demonstrates that flower-like CdS/ Bi2MoO6 is an excellent photocatalyst for the efficient removal of the LEV antibiotic.

Biotic and abiotic dissipation of tetracyclines using simulated sunlight and in the dark

Veterinary antibiotics reaching soils and water bodies are considered emerging pollutants deserving special attention. In this work, dissipation of tetracycline (TC), oxytetracycline (OTC) and chlortetracycline (CTC) is investigated. Dissipation experiments in filtered water, using simulated sunlight, resulted in the following degradation sequence: TC < OTC ≈ CTC, with half-life values of 229, 101 and 104 min, respectively; however, no dissipation took place in the dark. Dissipation of the three tetracyclines in culture medium and with simulated sunlight was much higher, giving the sequence TC ≈ OTC < CTC, with half-lives of 9, 10 and 7 min, respectively; in the dark, TC and OTC did not suffer dissipation, but it was around 28% for CTC at the end of the experiment (480 min). The variable explaining a higher dissipation in culture medium and with light was pH, as this parameter caused changes in the distribution of species of tetracyclines, affecting degradation. Adding bacterial suspensions extracted from soil and poultry manure increased dissipation, giving the sequence: TC ≈ OTC < CTC, which is attributed to the presence of humic acids, which adsorb these antibiotics. These results could facilitate understanding the fate of antibiotics reaching environmental compartments and causing public health hazards.

Graphitic Carbon Nitride-Based Heterojunction Photoactive Nanocomposites: Applications and Mechanism Insight

The design of heterojunction with superior performance of light absorption and appropriate conduction band and valence band potentials is a promising approach for the applications in efficient environmental remediation and the solar energy storage. In recent years, many studies have been devoted to the applications of graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄)-based heterojunction photoactive nanomaterials under visible light irradiation due to its excellent physical, optical, and electrical properties, which inspired us to compile this review. Although many reviews demonstrated about the syntheses and applications of g-C₃N₄ composites, a targeted review on the systematic application and photocatalytic mechanisms of g-C₃N₄-based heterojunction, in which components are in intimate linkage with each other rather than a physical mixture, is still absent. In this review, the applications of g-C₃N₄-based heterojunction photoactive nanomaterials in environmental remediation and solar energy storage, such as photocatalytic treatment of persistent organic pollutants, heavy-metal-ion redox, oxidative decomposition of pathogens, water splitting for H₂ evolution, and CO₂ reduction, are systematically discussed. In addition, some emerging applications, such as solar cells and biosensors, are also introduced. Meanwhile, a comprehensive assessment on the basis of first-principles calculations and the thermodynamics and kinetics of surface catalytic reaction for the electronic structure and photocatalytic properties of g-C₃N₄-based heterojunction are valued by this review. In the end, a brief summary and perspectives in designing practical heterojunction photoactive nanomaterials also showed the bright future of g-C₃N₄-based heterojunction. Altogether, this review systematically complements the information that previous reviews have frequently ignored and points out the future development trends of g-C₃N₄-based heterojunction, which expected to provide important references and right directions for the development and practical applications of g-C₃N₄-based heterojunction photoactive nanomaterials.

Heavy pnictogen chalcohalides: the synthesis, structure and properties of these rediscovered semiconductors

Heavy pnictogen chalcohalides offer various shades from the same palette, like “Paysage” by Nicolas de Staël. Their versatility and tunability lead to a new world of possible applications.

Controllable synthesis and photoreduction performance towards Cr(vi) of BiOCl microrods with exposed (110) crystal facets

BiOCl microrod exposed (110) facets was synthesized via a simple hydrothermal method using sodium citrate as capping agent. It exhibits outstanding photoreduction performance towards Cr(vi) at neutral and acid condition.