Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,
Journal Year:
2024,
Volume and Issue:
121(4)
Published: Jan. 18, 2024
In
our
quest
to
leverage
the
capabilities
of
emerging
single-atom
catalysts
(SACs)
for
wastewater
purification,
we
confronted
fundamental
challenges
related
electron
scarcity
and
instability.
Through
meticulous
theoretical
calculations,
identified
optimal
placements
nitrogen
vacancies
(Nv)
iron
(Fe)
sites,
uncovering
a
dual-site
approach
that
significantly
amplified
visible-light
absorption
charge
transfer
dynamics.
Informed
by
these
computational
insights,
cleverly
integrated
Nv
into
catalyst
design
boost
density
around
atoms,
yielding
potent
flexible
photoactivator
benign
peracetic
acid.
This
exceptional
exhibited
remarkable
stability
effectively
degraded
various
organic
contaminants
over
20
cycles
with
self-cleaning
properties.
Specifically,
sites
captured
electrons,
enabling
their
swift
adjacent
Fe
under
visible
light
irradiation.
mechanism
accelerated
reduction
formed
"peracetic
acid-catalyst"
intermediate.
Theoretical
calculations
were
used
elucidate
synergistic
interplay
dual
mechanisms,
illuminating
increased
adsorption
activation
reactive
molecules.
Furthermore,
pathways
on
conduction
band
elaborately
explored,
unveiling
production
species
enhanced
photocatalytic
processes.
A
six-flux
model
associated
parameters
also
applied
precisely
optimize
process,
providing
invaluable
insights
future
photocatalyst
design.
Overall,
this
study
offers
molecule-level
insight
rational
robust
SACs
in
photo-Fenton-like
system,
promising
implications
treatment
other
high-value
applications.
ACS Catalysis,
Journal Year:
2023,
Volume and Issue:
13(18), P. 12414 - 12424
Published: Sept. 7, 2023
Generating
singlet
oxygen
(1O2)
on
single
atom
catalysts
(SACs)
in
peroxymonosulfate
(PMS)-based
Fenton-like
reactions
exhibits
great
potential
for
selective
degradation
of
contaminants
complex
wastewater.
Clarifying
the
structure–activity
relationship
between
electronic
structure
SACs
and
1O2
generation
selectivity
is
crucial
precise
design
efficient
catalysts,
but
it
challenging.
Herein,
Cu
with
different
structures
(namely,
Cu–O2X,
where
X
=
N,
S,
B,
P,
O)
investigated
by
density
functional
theory
calculations
using
adsorption
terminal
atoms
PMS
as
an
activity
descriptor.
Significantly,
affected
center
which
electron-depleted
Cu-O2B
site
a
higher
atoms.
Experimentally,
moiety
superior
catalytic
activation,
showing
nearly
100%
ciprofloxacin
rate
0.2250
min–1,
outperforming
those
other
counterparts.
The
high
attributed
to
asymmetric
accelerating
faster
electron
transfer
O–O
bond
stretching,
lowering
energy
barrier
key
intermediates
toward
generation.
This
work
provides
broader
perspective
regulating
sites
at
atomic
level
catalysts.
Nature Communications,
Journal Year:
2023,
Volume and Issue:
14(1)
Published: Nov. 20, 2023
Carbon-defect
engineering
in
metal
single-atom
catalysts
by
simple
and
robust
strategy,
boosting
their
catalytic
activity,
revealing
the
carbon
defect-catalytic
activity
relationship
are
meaningful
but
challenging.
Herein,
we
report
a
facile
self-carbon-thermal-reduction
strategy
for
carbon-defect
of
single
Fe-N4
sites
ZnO-Carbon
nano-reactor,
as
efficient
catalyst
Fenton-like
reaction
degradation
phenol.
The
vacancies
easily
constructed
adjacent
to
during
synthesis,
facilitating
formation
C-O
bonding
lowering
energy
barrier
rate-determining-step
Consequently,
Fe-NCv-900
with
exhibits
much
improved
than
Fe-NC-900
without
abundant
vacancies,
13.5
times
improvement
first-order
rate
constant
phenol
degradation.
shows
high
(97%
removal
ratio
only
5
min),
good
recyclability
wide-ranging
pH
universality
(pH
range
3-9).
This
work
not
provides
rational
improving
catalysts,
also
deepens
fundamental
understanding
on
how
periphery
environment
affects
property
performance
metal-N4
sites.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,
Journal Year:
2024,
Volume and Issue:
121(4)
Published: Jan. 18, 2024
In
our
quest
to
leverage
the
capabilities
of
emerging
single-atom
catalysts
(SACs)
for
wastewater
purification,
we
confronted
fundamental
challenges
related
electron
scarcity
and
instability.
Through
meticulous
theoretical
calculations,
identified
optimal
placements
nitrogen
vacancies
(Nv)
iron
(Fe)
sites,
uncovering
a
dual-site
approach
that
significantly
amplified
visible-light
absorption
charge
transfer
dynamics.
Informed
by
these
computational
insights,
cleverly
integrated
Nv
into
catalyst
design
boost
density
around
atoms,
yielding
potent
flexible
photoactivator
benign
peracetic
acid.
This
exceptional
exhibited
remarkable
stability
effectively
degraded
various
organic
contaminants
over
20
cycles
with
self-cleaning
properties.
Specifically,
sites
captured
electrons,
enabling
their
swift
adjacent
Fe
under
visible
light
irradiation.
mechanism
accelerated
reduction
formed
"peracetic
acid-catalyst"
intermediate.
Theoretical
calculations
were
used
elucidate
synergistic
interplay
dual
mechanisms,
illuminating
increased
adsorption
activation
reactive
molecules.
Furthermore,
pathways
on
conduction
band
elaborately
explored,
unveiling
production
species
enhanced
photocatalytic
processes.
A
six-flux
model
associated
parameters
also
applied
precisely
optimize
process,
providing
invaluable
insights
future
photocatalyst
design.
Overall,
this
study
offers
molecule-level
insight
rational
robust
SACs
in
photo-Fenton-like
system,
promising
implications
treatment
other
high-value
applications.