Fengyan Li

A Z-scheme heterojunction photocatalyst composed of cyano-functionalized C₃N₅ nanosheets and GdCdS (GdCdS-C₃N₅CN) was successfully synthesized for enhanced photocatalytic uranium extraction. The incorporation of cyano groups fine-tuned the band structure of C₃N₅ and significantly improved its uranium adsorption performance. The composite demonstrated outstanding photocatalytic activity across a broad range of uranium concentrations and pH conditions, with a maximum uranium adsorption capacity of 484.5 mg/g, outperforming most reported C₃N₅-based catalysts. Photoelectrochemical and band structure analyses verified that the Z-scheme heterojunction promoted efficient interfacial charge separation while maintaining the strong reduction capability of C₃N₅CN and the oxidation ability of GdCdS. The material also exhibited excellent anti-interference properties and cycling stability, indicating strong potential for practical use in treating uranium-containing wastewater.

In this study, PDA@PW₁₂ composite microspheres were successfully prepared through in situ co-polymerization of dopamine and phosphotungstic acid for efficient uranium adsorption. Characterization results demonstrated that the incorporation of PW₁₂ not only inhibited the agglomeration of PDA but also increased the specific surface area to 48.07 m²/g, while simultaneously generating W⁵⁺ active species through electron transfer. The material achieved a maximum uranium adsorption capacity of 720.1 mg/g at pH = 5 and 318 K, with the adsorption process following the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Langmuir isotherm model, indicating spontaneous monolayer chemisorption. Mechanistic investigations confirmed that uranium adsorption was realized through the synergistic effect of surface complexation by functional groups (-OH/-NH₂) and the reduction of U(VI) to U(IV) by W⁵⁺ species. The composite maintained 93.3% desorption efficiency after five adsorption-desorption cycles and exhibited excellent selectivity toward U(VI). This work provides a new strategy for developing high-performance uranium adsorption materials.

The kinetics of H ₂ O ₂ synthesis on photocatalysts hinges critically on the dual capacity for efficient charge separation and favorable oxygen adsorption. Herein, we report the synthesis of a series of resins (PyRF, ThRF, and FuRF) with an asymmetric D ₁ ‐A‐D ₂ structure through molecular‐level modulation by incorporating strongly electron‐donating five‐membered heterocycles into the copolymerization of resorcinol‐formaldehyde resin (RF). Optical experiments reveal that constructing the asymmetric D ₁ ‐A‐D ₂ structures significantly enables a narrowed bandgap, reduces the charge‐transfer barriers, and enhances the electric field polarization gradient, thereby enabling improved separation of photogenerated carriers. In situ infrared spectroscopy spectrum and density functional theory calculations confirm that the incorporation of pyrrolic N provides an active site for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) with a lower energy barrier. The PyRF resin exhibits remarkable activity for photocatalytic H ₂ O ₂ production with a generation rate of 2806.3 µmol g ^{− 1} h ^{− 1} without a sacrificial agent, representing a 5.3‐fold enhancement over the pristine RF resin. It also achieves a high H ₂ O ₂ selectivity of 85%, an apparent quantum yield (AQY) of 15.6% at 420 nm, surpassing most phenol‐formaldehyde resin‐based photocatalysts. This study achieves optimization of the electronic properties of organic polymer photocatalysts, providing groundbreaking insights for the sustainable development of H ₂ O ₂ photocatalytic systems.

The development of efficient photocatalytic systems for nitrogen fixation hinges on the precise regulation of charge separation and electron transfer kinetics. Here, we present a chemically bonded Schottky junction, CuTi_0.25-NC/BiOBr, in which a nitrogen-doped carbon (NC) layer protects the embedded transition metals from overoxidation. In a sacrificial-agent-free aqueous environment, the CuTi_0.25-NC/BOB heterojunction achieves an ammonia production rate of 764.1 μmol g^-1 h^-1 under simulated solar irradiation. This performance represents a 10-fold enhancement relative to pristine BOB and substantially surpasses that of metal-free NC/BOB and single-metal control systems. Mechanistic studies reveal that CuTi_0.25-NC and BiOBr form Cu/Ti-O-Bi chemical bonds through d-p orbital interactions, which increase the electron density at the active Bi sites. This coupled modulation precisely tunes the p-band center of Bi, promoting N₂ activation while enhancing interfacial stability and providing an atomic-level pathway for charge transfer. Our findings underscore the critical role of interfacial orbital coupling in heterostructure design and establish a strategic paradigm for constructing high-performance nitrogen fixation systems that transcend conventional heterojunction engineering.

The introduction of 9-carbazolyl and 1-pyrrol groups in complexes 1–3 brought about red-shifted emission and very short decay times (1.2–1.5 µs).