Li Changle, Yu Tianzhu, Yan Zhaoxiong, Xu Zhihua, Yang Xianfeng, Li Qin
Key Laboratory of Flexible Optoelectronic Materials and Technology, Ministry of Education, Jianghan University, Wuhan, 430056, PR China.
Key Laboratory of Flexible Optoelectronic Materials and Technology, Ministry of Education, Jianghan University, Wuhan, 430056, PR China.
J Environ Manage. 2025 Sep 13;394:127291. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.127291.
Efficient photocatalysts for solar-driven environmental remediation are urgently needed but remain limited by poor charge separation and insufficient reactive species generation. Herein, we report a novel g-CN/Zn-MOF (CN/Zn-MOF) S-scheme heterostructure synthesized via a rapid microwave-assisted hydrothermal method, enabling in-situ integration of g-CN with a Zn-based metal-organic framework and strengthening interfacial coupling. The optimized CN/Zn-MOF exhibited nearly twice the tetracycline (TC) degradation efficiency of pristine g-CN under simulated solar irradiation, owing to favorable band alignment, efficient photogenerated charge separation, and enhanced hydrophilicity. Notably, the CN/Zn-MOF heterojunction facilitated a two-step single-electron process for in-situ hydrogen peroxide (HO) production, which subsequently acted as a precursor for reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as singlet oxygen (O) and hydroxyl radicals (‧OH). This HO-mediated ROS cascade markedly boosted oxidative degradation performance. Furthermore, the CN/Zn-MOF photocatalyst exhibited high efficacy in treating real printing and dyeing wastewater, effectively removing organic pollutants and reducing aquatic toxicity. This work offers a versatile interfacial engineering strategy for multifunctional photocatalyst design and highlights the pivotal role of HO-driven ROS cascades in advanced environmental purification.
