Ordered Macroporous BiVO4Architectures with Controllable Dual Porosity for Efficient Solar Water Splitting

Synthesis of FePcS-PMA-LDH Cointercalation Composite with Enhanced Visible Light Photo-Fenton Catalytic Activity for BPA Degradation at Circumneutral pH

(1) Background: Iron tetrasulfophthalocyanine with a large nonlinear optical coefficient, good stability, and high catalytic activity has aroused the attention of researchers in the field of photo-Fenton reaction. Further improvement of the visible light photo-Fenton catalytic activity under circumneutral pH conditions for their practical application is still of great importance. (2) Methods: In this paper, iron tetrasulfophthalocyanine (FePcS) and phosphomolybdic acid (PMA) cointercalated layered double hydroxides (LDH) were synthesized by the ion-exchange method. All samples were fully characterized by various techniques and the results showed that FePcS and PMA were successfully intercalated in layered double hydroxides and the resulted compound exhibited strong absorption in the visible light region. The cointercalation compound was tested as a heterogeneous catalyst for the visible light photo-Fenton degradation of bisphenol A (BPA) at circumneutral pH. (3) Results: The results showed that the degradation and total organic carbon removal efficiencies of bisphenol A were 100% and 69.2%, respectively. (4) Conclusions: The cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements demonstrated that the main contribution of PMA to the enhanced photo-Fenton activity of FePcS–PMA–LDH comes from the acceleration of electron transfer in the reaction system. Additionally, the possible reaction mechanism in the photo-Fenton system catalyzed by FePcS–PMA–LDH was also proposed.

Chiral Sulfide Catalysis for Desymmetrizing Enantioselective Chlorination

An unprecendented chiral sulfide catalyzed desymmetrizing enantioselective chlorination is disclosed. Various aryl-tethered diolefins and diaryl-tethered olefins afforded teralins and tricyclic hexahydrophenalene derivatives, respectively, bearing multiple stereogenic centers in high yields with excellent enantio- and diastereoselectivities. In contrast, the tertiary amine catalyst (DHQD)₂ PHAL led to a diastereomeric product. The products could be transformed into a variety of compounds, such as spiro-N-heterocycles.

WO3/W:BiVO4/BiVO4 graded photoabsorber electrode for enhanced photoelectrocatalytic solar light driven water oxidation

We demonstrate the dual advantages of graded photoabsorbers in mesoporous metal oxide-based hetero interfacial photoanodes in improving photogenerated charge carrier (e^-/h⁺) separation for the solar light-driven water-oxidation process. The pre-deposition of sol-gel-derived, tungsten-doped bismuth vanadate (W:BiVO₄) onto a primary BiVO₄ water oxidation layer forms graded interfaces, which facilitate charge transfer from the primary photoabsorber to the charge transport layer, thereby superseding the thickness-controlled charge recombination at the BiVO₄ water oxidation catalyst. As a result, the WO₃/BiVO₄ hetero photoanode containing the photoactive W:BiVO₄ interfacial layer showed 130% higher photocurrent than that of the interfacial layer-free hetero photoelectrode owing to the enhanced charge separation led water oxidation process.

Dual Effect in Fluorine-Doped Hematite Nanocrystals for Efficient Water Oxidation

Herein, excellent light absorption and oxygen-evolving activity were simultaneously achieved by doping fluorine anions into hematite nanocrystals. Upon anion doping, the band structure of hematite can be effectively regulated, leading to the generation of defect levels between the band gap and remarkably increased visible light absorption. The activity for electrocatalytic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) of the hematite nanocrystals is enhanced after fluorine doping, where the doped hematite assists as an effective catalyst for photoelectrochemical water splitting. The optimization strategy proposed herein may shed light on the future design of photocatalysts for energy-related applications.