Wireless Photoelectrochemical Strategy Driven by Nanobipolar Electrodes for Water Remediation

Thisstrategy of photoelectrochemical-driven semiconductingnanoparticles provides a solution to the intrinsically critical challengesof current photochemical technology through forming numerous nanobipolarelectrodes. The separation of photogenerated charges is vital forphotocatalysis.Here, we report a wireless photoelectrochemical strategy for efficientcharge separation on an optoelectronic synergy-driven nanoparticulatesemiconductor. Using g-C3N4/Fe-TiO2 as model semiconductor nanoparticles, an advanced oxidationprocess (AOP) for water remediation was established with the activityand O-2 (& BULL;-) photogeneration quantumefficiency being significantly improved (i.e., 9.7 times comparedto conventional photoelectrocatalysis and 5.9 times that of photocatalysis,respectively). More importantly, this strategy has a wide range ofapplications for the removal of different refractory organic pollutantswith a strong tolerance for a supporting electrolyte. The extraordinarycatalytic performance was attributed to a synergistic effect betweenphotochemistry and electrochemistry on the particle surface, wherenumerous nanobipolar electrodes were generated under an electric fieldto trigger the reduction of electrogenerated O-2 to formreactive oxygen species. This work provides a promising AOP strategyof a photoelectrochemical-driven nanoparticulate semiconductor forchallenging water remediation.

Automated summary

This study presents a photoelectrochemical strategy using semiconducting nanoparticles to overcome challenges in current photochemical technology. By forming numerous nanobipolar electrodes, efficient charge separation is achieved, enabling advanced oxidation processes for water remediation with significantly improved activity and photogeneration quantum efficiency. The strategy also demonstrates a wide application range for removing different refractory organic pollutants with strong tolerance for supporting electrolyte.