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Exclusive Papers in Green Photocatalysis from China
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Exclusive Papers in Green Photocatalysis from China

A special issue of Catalysts (ISSN 2073-4344). This special issue belongs to the section "Photocatalysis".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 April 2025 | Viewed by 10108

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Weilin Dai

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Chemistry, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Catalysis and Innovative Materials, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China
Interests: photocatalysis; hydrogen evolution; selective oxidation; heterogeneous catalysis; catalytic material
Prof. Dr. Zhenfeng Bian

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Chemistry, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai 200234, China
Interests: CO2 utilization; H2 production TiO2; g-C3N4; precious metal recovery; heterojunction; single-atom catalysis defects
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, the global community has intensified its efforts to address environmental challenges, particularly in the context of climate change and sustainable development. China, as one of the world's largest economies and carbon emitters, has made significant commitments to reduce its carbon footprint and advance green technologies. Green photocatalysis, with its potential for sustainable energy production and environmental remediation, has emerged as a critical area of research and innovation in China. This Special Issue aims to highlight exclusive papers that showcase the latest advancements and breakthroughs in green photocatalysis within the Chinese research landscape. By focusing on this specific area, we seek to provide a platform for researchers to disseminate their findings, share the best practices, and contribute to the global knowledge base of sustainable energy and environmental technologies. The outcomes of this Special Issue will not only enrich the understanding of green photocatalysis but also contribute to the broader efforts of transitioning to a low-carbon and sustainable future. We cordially invite researchers and scholars to contribute their valuable insights and original research to this Special Issue. We encourage submissions that encompass a wide range of topics, including but not limited to semiconductor photocatalysts, visible light photocatalysis, environmental applications, the development of novel materials for green photocatalysis, and any other related subjects. By fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange, we aim to advance the field of green photocatalysis and support the global transition to a more sustainable and environmentally conscious future.

We are looking forward to receiving the various research insights and results of this Special Issue and would sincerely appreciate your support and contribution. Your active participation and substantive inputs will be fundamental for the success of this Special Issue.

We look forward to your contributions and invite you to contribute your valuable research findings to this Special Issue.

Prof. Dr. Weilin Dai
Prof. Dr. Zhenfeng Bian
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Catalysts is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • photocatalysis
  • hydrogen production
  • selective oxidation
  • water splitting
  • photocatalytic reduction
  • photocatalytic degradation
  • heterojunction
  • photocatalytic synthesis
  • solar fuels
  • photocatalytic material
  • photocatalytic mechanism

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Published Papers (8 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 9993 KiB  
Article
The Effect of WO3 on the Selective Hydrogenolysis of Glycerol to 1,3-Propanediol over Pt/WO3–Al2O3 Catalysts
by Ziyang Li, Chunjie Wu, Chenhao Zhang and Hui Li
Catalysts 2024, 14(11), 774; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal14110774 - 31 Oct 2024
Viewed by 531
Abstract
The selective hydrogenolysis of glycerol to 1,3-Propanediol (1,3-PDO) presents a sustainable approach, leveraging a bio-renewable feedstock and significantly enhancing the economic viability of biodiesel production. However, the limited selectivity toward 1,3-PDO in glycerol hydrogenolysis has hindered its widespread adoption on an industrial scale. [...] Read more.
The selective hydrogenolysis of glycerol to 1,3-Propanediol (1,3-PDO) presents a sustainable approach, leveraging a bio-renewable feedstock and significantly enhancing the economic viability of biodiesel production. However, the limited selectivity toward 1,3-PDO in glycerol hydrogenolysis has hindered its widespread adoption on an industrial scale. In this work, we synthesized a series of Pt/WO3–Al2O3 catalysts using a simple wetness sequential impregnation method. Comprehensive characterization and kinetic studies revealed that the surface tungsten content of the catalyst exerted a critical and multifaceted influence on the catalytic performances. Under optimal conditions, glycerol could be selectively converted to 1,3-PDO with a yield of 43% in a fixed-bed continuous flow reactor. Furthermore, a plausible reaction mechanism for glycerol hydrogenolysis was proposed based on the correlations between catalyst structure and catalytic performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Exclusive Papers in Green Photocatalysis from China)
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16 pages, 3975 KiB  
Article
Spirobifluorene-Based D-A Type Conjugated Polymer Photocatalysts for Water Splitting
by Hao Zhao, Pengyao Sun, Hui Xu, Xinyi Xiao, Zhiyuan Kong, Shige Song, Weihao Li, Luzun Liu, Jiadong Wang and Xiaobo Pan
Catalysts 2024, 14(10), 717; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal14100717 - 14 Oct 2024
Viewed by 587
Abstract
Exploring synthetic pathways for efficient photocatalysts has always been a major goal in catalysis. The performance of organic photocatalysts is affected by a variety of complex factors, and how to understand the structure–effect relationship is the key to designing efficient photocatalysts. This work [...] Read more.
Exploring synthetic pathways for efficient photocatalysts has always been a major goal in catalysis. The performance of organic photocatalysts is affected by a variety of complex factors, and how to understand the structure–effect relationship is the key to designing efficient photocatalysts. This work explored the feasibility of constructing large-specific-surface-area conjugated microporous polymers (CMPs) based on stereoscopic units like spirobifluorene and achieving efficient photocatalytic activity by modulating the donor–acceptor (D-A) ratio with dibenzothiophene sulfone. Crosslinked pore structures were successfully constructed, and the specific surface area increased with the ratio of spirobifluorene. When the molar ratio of D-A was 1:20, polymer Spso-3 showed the highest photocatalytic hydrogen production activity, at 22.4 mmol h–1 g–1. The findings indicate that constructing D-A type CMPs should be a promising approach to improving the performance of photocatalytic water separation. The appropriate push–pull effect of the D-A structure promotes the photo-induced separation of electron–hole pairs, and the porous structure built on steric units offers ample space for catalytic reactions. This work could provide case references for structural design and the structure–effect relationship of efficient polymer photocatalysts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Exclusive Papers in Green Photocatalysis from China)
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13 pages, 3773 KiB  
Article
Self-Assembled PDI-COOH/PDINH Supramolecular Composite Photocatalysts for Highly Efficient Photodegradation of Organic Pollutants
by Guodong Zhou, Zetian He, Zeyu Jia, Shiqing Ma, Daimei Chen and Yilei Li
Catalysts 2024, 14(10), 696; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal14100696 - 7 Oct 2024
Viewed by 775
Abstract
Photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants is one of the green ways to solve environmental problems. In this study, the PDI-COOH/PDINH composite photocatalysts were successfully synthesized by electrostatic self-assembly. Under visible light irradiation, the degradation efficiency of the optimal PDI-COOH/PDINH sample reached 67%, which [...] Read more.
Photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants is one of the green ways to solve environmental problems. In this study, the PDI-COOH/PDINH composite photocatalysts were successfully synthesized by electrostatic self-assembly. Under visible light irradiation, the degradation efficiency of the optimal PDI-COOH/PDINH sample reached 67%, which was 1.7 and 1.6 times higher than that of the self-assembled PDINH supramolecule and PDI-COOH supramolecule, respectively. The excellent photocatalytic performance of PDI-COOH/PDINH can be attributed to the enhancement of the separation and transport efficiency of photogenerated carriers by the construction of a heterojunction and the expanded electronic conjugated structure by the combination of organic–organic semiconductors. This study offers a new idea for the preparation of organic–organic composite photocatalysts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Exclusive Papers in Green Photocatalysis from China)
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13 pages, 3461 KiB  
Article
Effect of NaOH Concentration on Rapidly Quenched Cu–Al Alloy-Derived Cu Catalyst for CO2 Hydrogenation to CH3OH
by Xuancheng Liu, Dong Sun, Yushan Ji, Sijie Zu, Yan Pei, Shirun Yan, Minghua Qiao, Xiaoxin Zhang and Baoning Zong
Catalysts 2024, 14(6), 391; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal14060391 - 19 Jun 2024
Viewed by 828
Abstract
By utilizing greenhouse gas CO2 and renewable energy-sourced H2 to produce methanol, the “methanol economy” can replace fossil fuels and H2 as the energy storage medium, which not only reduces CO2 emissions, but also mitigates the energy shortage issue. [...] Read more.
By utilizing greenhouse gas CO2 and renewable energy-sourced H2 to produce methanol, the “methanol economy” can replace fossil fuels and H2 as the energy storage medium, which not only reduces CO2 emissions, but also mitigates the energy shortage issue. However, the traditional Cu-based catalysts for CO2-to-methanol conversion suffer from low activity at low temperature and high vulnerability to sintering and deactivation. In this contribution, rapidly quenched skeletal Cu catalysts (RQ Cu) are prepared by leaching the RQ Cu–Al alloy with NaOH aqueous solutions of different concentrations. It is found that high NaOH concentration of 10 wt% favors the preparation of the RQ Cu-10 catalyst with higher porosity, lower residual Al content, and larger active Cu surface area (SCu) than the RQ Cu-3 catalyst leached with 3 wt% of NaOH solution. However, in aqueous-phase CO2 hydrogenation at 473 K and 4.0 MPa, the CO2 conversion over the RQ Cu-3 catalyst is more than two times greater than that over the RQ Cu-10 catalyst, and the selectivity and productivity of methanol are 1.20 and 2.69 times of the corresponding values over the RQ Cu-10 catalyst. At 5.0 MPa, the selectivity and productivity of methanol are further boosted to 97.9% and 1.329 mmol gCu–1 h–1 on the RQ Cu-3 catalyst. It is identified that the SCu of the RQ Cu-3 catalyst is well preserved after reaction, while dramatic growth of the Cu crystallites occurs for the RQ Cu-10 catalyst. The better catalytic performance and stability of the RQ Cu-3 catalyst are tentatively attributed to the presence of more residual Al species by using NaOH solution with lower concentration for Al leaching, which acts as the dispersant for the Cu crystallites during the reaction. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Exclusive Papers in Green Photocatalysis from China)
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12 pages, 17335 KiB  
Article
Acetylacetone Boosts the Photocatalytic Activity of Metal–Organic Frameworks by Tunable Modification
by Kunrui Wei, Jianghua Yang, Shuangshuang Wei, Hongcen Zheng and Shujuan Zhang
Catalysts 2024, 14(6), 367; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal14060367 - 5 Jun 2024
Viewed by 959
Abstract
Typical metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) usually suffer from a limited visible light-trapping ability and easy recombination of charge carriers, hindering their photocatalytic applications. Acetylacetone (AA), leveraging its exceptional coordination capabilities, serves as a versatile and effective modifier for enhancing the photocatalytic activity of MOFs [...] Read more.
Typical metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) usually suffer from a limited visible light-trapping ability and easy recombination of charge carriers, hindering their photocatalytic applications. Acetylacetone (AA), leveraging its exceptional coordination capabilities, serves as a versatile and effective modifier for enhancing the photocatalytic activity of MOFs via a post-synthesis approach. The synthesis of diketone-anchored MOFs with AA can be achieved by first diazotizing the amino groups on the ligands of MOFs, followed by a condensation reaction between AA and the resulting azide. Gradient AA loadings ranging from 17% to 98% were obtained, showcasing the tunability of this approach. Interestingly, a sub-stoichiometric effect was exhibited between the AA loading and the visible photocatalytic performance of the modified photocatalyst. The singlet oxygen yields of MIL-125-AA-37% and MIL-125-AA-54% were about 1.3 times that of MIL-125-AA-17% and 3.0 times that of MIL-125-AA-98%. The improved photocatalytic activity could be attributed to the fact that the AA modification altered the electron density of the Ti metal center, leading to the creation of a significant amount of oxygen defects. This alteration resulted in a reduction in the recombination of charge carriers and thus a better charge separation. In short, AA modification provides a new strategy to maximize the visible photocatalytic performance of MOFs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Exclusive Papers in Green Photocatalysis from China)
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16 pages, 4925 KiB  
Article
One-Dimensional Tubular Carbon Nitride Embedded in Ni2P for Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity of H2 Evolution
by Chenyong Jiang, Yiwei Jiao, Fada Li, Cheng Fang, Jing Ding, Hui Wan, Ping Zhang and Guofeng Guan
Catalysts 2024, 14(4), 243; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal14040243 - 6 Apr 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1229
Abstract
Graphitic carbon nitride is considered as an ideal semiconductor material for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution due to its suitable energy band structure, durability and environmental friendliness. To further improve the catalytic performance of g-C3N4, nickel phosphide-loaded one-dimensional tubular carbon nitride [...] Read more.
Graphitic carbon nitride is considered as an ideal semiconductor material for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution due to its suitable energy band structure, durability and environmental friendliness. To further improve the catalytic performance of g-C3N4, nickel phosphide-loaded one-dimensional tubular carbon nitride (Ni2P/TCN) was prepared by thermal polymerization and photo deposition. The beneficial effect of the one-dimensional tubular structure on hydrogen generation was mainly attributed to its larger specific surface area (increased light absorption) as well as the linear movement of the carriers, which reduced their diffusion distance to the surface and facilitated the separation of photogenerated carriers. The loading of Ni2P co-catalyst improved the visible light utilization efficiency and enabled the migration of photogenerated electrons towards Ni2P, which ultimately reacted with the enhanced adsorbed H+ on the Ni2P surface to facilitate the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution process. This study provides new clues for the further development of efficient, environmentally friendly and low-cost g-C3N4 catalysts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Exclusive Papers in Green Photocatalysis from China)
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Review

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18 pages, 6925 KiB  
Review
Advanced XPS-Based Techniques in the Characterization of Catalytic Materials: A Mini-Review
by Yuanyuan Cui, Yifan Liao, Youbao Sun, Wenchang Wang, Jinqi Wu, Weilin Dai and Taohong Huang
Catalysts 2024, 14(9), 595; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal14090595 - 4 Sep 2024
Viewed by 2151
Abstract
X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) technology is extensively applied in the field of catalysts, offering deep insights into their electronic structures and chemical composition. The development of advanced techniques based on XPS instrumentation allows for a deeper and more holistic exploration of the characteristics [...] Read more.
X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) technology is extensively applied in the field of catalysts, offering deep insights into their electronic structures and chemical composition. The development of advanced techniques based on XPS instrumentation allows for a deeper and more holistic exploration of the characteristics of catalytic materials. This mini-review introduces and summarizes the primary applications of XPS-based analysis methods, including ion scattering spectroscopy (ISS) for analyzing single atomic layers, angle-resolved XPS, high energy X-ray sources and argon ion sputtering, each providing different depths of information about a sample. It also summarizes the use of inert atmosphere transfer devices and high-temperature reactors for quasi in situ monitoring as well as the integration of in situ techniques, including light irradiation XPS, to study catalysts’ behavior under realistic conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Exclusive Papers in Green Photocatalysis from China)
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18 pages, 4331 KiB  
Review
Photocatalytic Production of Hydrogen Peroxide from Covalent-Organic-Framework-Based Materials: A Mini-Review
by Jiayi Meng, Yamei Huang, Xinglin Wang, Yifan Liao, Huihui Zhang and Weilin Dai
Catalysts 2024, 14(7), 429; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal14070429 - 5 Jul 2024
Viewed by 1727
Abstract
Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is one of the most environmentally friendly and versatile chemical oxidizing agents, with only O2 and H2O as reaction products. It is widely used in environmental protection, industrial production, and medical fields. At [...] Read more.
Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is one of the most environmentally friendly and versatile chemical oxidizing agents, with only O2 and H2O as reaction products. It is widely used in environmental protection, industrial production, and medical fields. At present, most of the industrial production of H2O2 adopts anthraquinone oxidation, but there are shortcomings such as pollution of the environment and large energy consumption. Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are a class of porous crystalline materials formed by organic molecular building blocks connected by covalent bonds. The ordered conjugated structure of COFs not only facilitates the absorption of light energy but also promotes the transport of excited-state electrons. Therefore, the photochemical synthesis of H2O2 from water and oxygen using photocatalysts based on COFs as a green route has attracted much attention. In this review, we provide an overview of recent studies on COFs as photocatalysts and the different mechanisms involved in the photocatalytic production of hydrogen peroxide. Then, we summarize the various strategies to improve the performance. Finally, we outline the challenges and future directions of COFs in practical applications. This review highlights the potential and application prospects of COFs in the photochemical synthesis of H2O2, aiming to provide guidance for the design of COF-based catalysts and the optimization for photocatalytic production of H2O2, in order to promote scientific development and application in this field. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Exclusive Papers in Green Photocatalysis from China)
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