Seawater electrolysis, especially in coastlines, is widely considered as a sustainable way of making clean and high-purity H₂ from renewable energy; however, the practical viability is challenged severely by the limited anode durability resulting from side reactions of chlorine species. Herein, we report an effective Cl⁻ blocking barrier of NiFe-layer double hydroxide (NiFe-LDH) to harmful chlorine chemistry during alkaline seawater oxidation (ASO), a pre-formed surface-derived NiFe-phosphate (Pi) outer-layer. Specifically, the PO₄³⁻-enriched outer-layer is capable of physically and electrostatically inhibiting Cl⁻ adsorption, which protects active Ni³⁺ sites during ASO. The NiFe-LDH with the NiFe-Pi outer-layer (NiFe-LDH@NiFe-Pi) exhibits higher current densities (j) and lower overpotentials to afford 1 A·cm⁻² (η₁₀₀₀ of 370 mV versus η₁₀₀₀ of 420 mV) than the NiFe-LDH in 1 M KOH + seawater. Notably, the NiFe-LDH@NiFe-Pi also demonstrates longer-term electrochemical durability than NiFe-LDH, attaining 100-h duration at the j of 1 A·cm⁻². Additionally, the importance of surface-derived PO₄³⁻-enriched outer-layer in protecting the active centers, γ-NiOOH, is explained by ex situ characterizations and in situ electrochemical spectroscopic studies.

The unique spontaneous polarization property of ferroelectric material makes it to be a special catalyst in photocatalysis. The spontaneous polarization property can induce the formation of built-in electric field, which can improve the separation of photoelectrons and holes to affect photocatalytic performance. The internal electric field induced by spontaneous polarization can be influenced by multiple factors such as the morphology, the concentration of defect, the type of doped heteroatoms, as well as the composition of heterostructures. Besides, the preparation method, pretreating temperature, the strength of prepolarized external electric field of ferroelectric-based photocatalysts as well as the strength of external mechanical force or external magnetic field in photocatalytic reactions can influence the photocatalytic effectivity via influencing spontaneous polarization-induced internal electric field. Thus, it is urgently to unveil the mystery of structure–activity relationships for ferroelectric materials-based photocatalysts, which is usually uncertain. With this in mind, this review was provided for the role of various complex influencing factors on ferroelectric materials-based photocatalysis based on the latest advancement in the fields of new energy development, environmental remediation. In the beginning, the basic structure and properties of ferroelectric material are given. Then, popular synthesis methods of ferroelectric-based photocatalysts are summarized. After that, two main mechanisms of ferroelectric photocatalysis are discussed. The research progress of ferroelectric photocatalysis is then given emphatically according to the classification of photocatalytic reactions. Finally, the problems existing nowadays and the challenges facing in the future on the application of ferroelectric materials-based photocatalysts are outlined in the summary and outlook section.

The synergistic interaction of different components in heteronanocrystals induces interfacial phenomena and novel functionalities. Nonetheless, effective technologies to design and fabricate heteronanocrystals with materials on demand are still missing. Rich heterostructures in a copper patina are known to form at room temperature and under atmospheric pressure. The redox process of copper tarnish inspired the discovery of a simple strategy to achieve heteronanocrystals that contained elements from group 3–11 and group 14–16. The interface redox-induced method is self-regulating at ambient conditions and applicable for metal, semiconductor, and dielectric materials. The enhanced interface bonding endows the heteronanocrystals with outstanding stability and catalytic performance, while the modular approach enables the design and fabrication of heteronanocrystals with intended materials to meet different purposes.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOF_s) are self-assembled molecular containers that can encapsulate and stabilize short-lived reaction intermediates. In this study, the Cu-benzene-1, 3, 5-tricarboxylate (BTC) MOF was incorporated in a ZnO/graphene oxide (GO) photocatalytic system by electrostatic interaction, and the obtained assembly showed improved hydrogen evolution activity. Electron spin resonance analysis was used to detect and monitor free radicals in the photocatalytic system, and demonstrated that Cu-BTC MOF could stabilize and extend the lifetime of free radicals, increasing the chance of H· radical recombination to form H₂. This work provides a new strategy for designing highly efficient photocatalysts.

In this paper, we describe the facile and effective preparation of a series of cobalt-doped Fe₃O₄ nanocatalysts via chemical coprecipitation in an aqueous solution. The catalyst allowed the hydrogenation of chloronitrobenzenes to chloroanilines (CAs) to proceed at low temperatures in absolute water and at atmospheric pressure, resulting in approximately 100% yield and selectivity. Several factors that influence the yield of CAs were investigated. The results showed that the suitable dosage of the catalyst was ~10 mol.% of the substrate, and the optimal reaction time, reaction temperature, and reaction pressure were 20 min, 80 ℃, and atmospheric pressure, respectively. Under the optimal reaction conditions, the CA yield was as high as 98.4%, and the nitro reduction rate reached 100%, which indicates the excellent selectivity of the homemade catalyst. This process also overcomes the environmental pollution harms associated with the traditional process.