Volume 42, Issue 24 pp. 3349-3354
Concise Report

pH Independent and Efficient Photocatalytic Systems Enabled by Reaction Interface Microenvironment Regulation

Hang Zhou

Hang Zhou

College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123 China

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Xia Sheng

Corresponding Author

Xia Sheng

College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123 China

E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]Search for more papers by this author
Xi Chen

Xi Chen

College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123 China

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Zhiping Liu

Zhiping Liu

College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123 China

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Xinjian Feng

Corresponding Author

Xinjian Feng

College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123 China

Suzhou Institute for Advanced Research, University of Science and Technology of China, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123 China

E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]Search for more papers by this author
First published: 04 September 2024

Dedicated to the Special Issue of Biomimetic Materials.

Comprehensive Summary

Photocatalysis is a promising green approach for water purification. The diversity of water pH values is a key factor that restricts its practical application since pH affects the adsorption of organic molecules, the stability of catalysts and photocatalytic performance. Here, we report a pH–independent, efficient and stable photocatalytic system with a liquid (water)–liquid (oil)–solid (semiconductor) (L–L–S) triphase interface microenvironment. The system is fabricated by coating a thin layer of silicon oil on the surface of ZnO nanowire arrays, a model chemically unstable semiconductor in both acidic and alkaline solutions. We show that the unique interface makes the dye adsorption pH independent and prevents the semiconductor from being corroded by strong acidic/alkaline solutions, leading to a stable and efficient photocatalytic reaction over a wide pH range (1—14). These findings reveal a promising path for the development of high-performance catalysis systems applicable in complex water environments.

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