Dual-substrate synergistic catalysis for highly efficient water purification

Abstract

Non-radical oxidation of pollutants by direct electron transfer has gained heightened interest in water purification for its higher selectivity and efficiency and lower tendency for byproduct formation than traditional advanced oxidation processes. Engineering of catalysts for efficient activation of two substrates (that is, pollutant and oxidant) is essential to trigger the direct electron transfer reactions but is often hindered by the distinct properties of the co-present substrates. We investigated the individual interaction between the catalyst and each substrate and proposed a dual-substrate synergistic catalysis strategy to achieve separate optimization of each substrate activation process. Experimental and theoretical analyses reveal a strong synergistic effect between the two catalysts that preferentially activate the substrates and have smaller resistance for interfacial electron transfer, thus drastically improving the decontamination efficiency. The dual-substrate synergistic catalysis system offers a conceptual advancement in achieving green and efficient water purification by substrate-specific activation, facilitating flexible design and mechanistic exploration of complex heterogeneous catalytic processes.