Dual-active-site engineering in S-scheme heterojunctions: Enhanced separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs for synergistic photoredox catalysis

Litao Jia; Fanghua Li; Yang Yang; Xiaofei Duan; Yongfa Zhu

doi:10.1016/j.cej.2025.170414

Dual-active-site engineering in S-scheme heterojunctions: Enhanced separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs for synergistic photoredox catalysis

Litao Jia
, Fanghua Li^*
, Yang Yang
, Xiaofei Duan
, Yongfa Zhu^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology
University of Melbourne
Tsinghua University

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

The simultaneous removal of NO₃⁻ and organic pollutants in wastewater remains a challenge for conventional photocatalytic processes. Herein, we construct an S-scheme Fe₂O_3-x/Nb₂O_5-x heterojunction that enables spatially separated redox sites for synergistic photoredox reactions. The built-in interfacial electric field directs electron transfer from Fe to Nb sites, resulting in dual active sites for NO₃⁻ reduction to NH₃ (yield: 2683.6 μmol·g⁻¹·h⁻¹, selectivity: 94.1 %) and concurrent oxidative degradation of dibutyl phthalate (DBP, 98.7 % in 60 min), without using sacrificial agents. A floating reactor and continuous-flow tests further demonstrate its practical applicability. This work provides an effective strategy for designing integrated photoredox systems for sustainable wastewater treatment.

Original language	English
Article number	170414
Journal	Chemical Engineering Journal
Volume	525
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2025.170414
State	Published - 1 Dec 2025
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Interfacial dual active sites
Internal electric field
Photocatalytic NO reduction
Photocatalytic redox coupling
S-scheme heterojunction

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10.1016/j.cej.2025.170414

Cite this

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title = "Dual-active-site engineering in S-scheme heterojunctions: Enhanced separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs for synergistic photoredox catalysis",

abstract = "The simultaneous removal of NO3− and organic pollutants in wastewater remains a challenge for conventional photocatalytic processes. Herein, we construct an S-scheme Fe2O3-x/Nb2O5-x heterojunction that enables spatially separated redox sites for synergistic photoredox reactions. The built-in interfacial electric field directs electron transfer from Fe to Nb sites, resulting in dual active sites for NO3− reduction to NH3 (yield: 2683.6 μmol·g−1·h−1, selectivity: 94.1 \%) and concurrent oxidative degradation of dibutyl phthalate (DBP, 98.7 \% in 60 min), without using sacrificial agents. A floating reactor and continuous-flow tests further demonstrate its practical applicability. This work provides an effective strategy for designing integrated photoredox systems for sustainable wastewater treatment.",

keywords = "Interfacial dual active sites, Internal electric field, Photocatalytic NO reduction, Photocatalytic redox coupling, S-scheme heterojunction",

author = "Litao Jia and Fanghua Li and Yang Yang and Xiaofei Duan and Yongfa Zhu",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 Elsevier B.V.",

year = "2025",

month = dec,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1016/j.cej.2025.170414",

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volume = "525",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Dual-active-site engineering in S-scheme heterojunctions

T2 - Enhanced separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs for synergistic photoredox catalysis

AU - Jia, Litao

AU - Li, Fanghua

AU - Yang, Yang

AU - Duan, Xiaofei

AU - Zhu, Yongfa

PY - 2025/12/1

Y1 - 2025/12/1

N2 - The simultaneous removal of NO3− and organic pollutants in wastewater remains a challenge for conventional photocatalytic processes. Herein, we construct an S-scheme Fe2O3-x/Nb2O5-x heterojunction that enables spatially separated redox sites for synergistic photoredox reactions. The built-in interfacial electric field directs electron transfer from Fe to Nb sites, resulting in dual active sites for NO3− reduction to NH3 (yield: 2683.6 μmol·g−1·h−1, selectivity: 94.1 %) and concurrent oxidative degradation of dibutyl phthalate (DBP, 98.7 % in 60 min), without using sacrificial agents. A floating reactor and continuous-flow tests further demonstrate its practical applicability. This work provides an effective strategy for designing integrated photoredox systems for sustainable wastewater treatment.

AB - The simultaneous removal of NO3− and organic pollutants in wastewater remains a challenge for conventional photocatalytic processes. Herein, we construct an S-scheme Fe2O3-x/Nb2O5-x heterojunction that enables spatially separated redox sites for synergistic photoredox reactions. The built-in interfacial electric field directs electron transfer from Fe to Nb sites, resulting in dual active sites for NO3− reduction to NH3 (yield: 2683.6 μmol·g−1·h−1, selectivity: 94.1 %) and concurrent oxidative degradation of dibutyl phthalate (DBP, 98.7 % in 60 min), without using sacrificial agents. A floating reactor and continuous-flow tests further demonstrate its practical applicability. This work provides an effective strategy for designing integrated photoredox systems for sustainable wastewater treatment.

KW - Interfacial dual active sites

KW - Internal electric field

KW - Photocatalytic NO reduction

KW - Photocatalytic redox coupling

KW - S-scheme heterojunction

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105021863354

U2 - 10.1016/j.cej.2025.170414

DO - 10.1016/j.cej.2025.170414

M3 - 文章

AN - SCOPUS:105021863354

SN - 1385-8947

VL - 525

JO - Chemical Engineering Journal

JF - Chemical Engineering Journal

M1 - 170414

ER -

Dual-active-site engineering in S-scheme heterojunctions: Enhanced separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs for synergistic photoredox catalysis

Abstract

Keywords

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