Black Nb(4+) self-doped K4Nb6O17 microspheres were prepared for the first time through a facile UV light photoreduction method. By the introduction of Nb(4+), the defective K4Nb6O17 can harvest the full spectrum of visible light as well as near-infrared light. The black K4Nb6O17 microspheres showed improved visible-light-driven photocatalytic H2 production activity. Importantly, the present syn...

Photocatalytic hydrogen production from water offers an abundant, clean fuel source, but it is challenging to produce photocatalysts that use the solar spectrum effectively. Many hydrogen-evolving photocatalysts are active in the ultraviolet range, but ultraviolet light accounts for only 3% of the energy available in the solar spectrum at ground level. Solid-state crystalline photocatalysts hav...

A simple and facile one-step method for the synthesis of an organic dye-functionalized polyoxometalate (POM) hybrid with visible-light photo-response was reported. The POM hybrid was fully characterized via single crystal XRD, powder XRD, FTIR and elemental analysis. The reaction of the organic dye with inorganic salts gave the dye-functionalized POM (MoBB3), in which the POM cluster was formed...

A new dimension: The doping of amorphous poly(triazine imide) (PTI) through ionothermal copolymerization of dicyandiamide with 4-amino-2,6-dihydroxypyrimidine (4AP) results in triazine-based carbon nitrides with increased photoactivity for water splitting compared to crystalline poly(triazine imide) (PTI/Li(+)Cl(-), see picture) and melon-type carbon nitrides. This family of carbon nitride semi...

The visible-light-driven, phase-transfer-catalyzed, enantioselective perfluoroalkylation and trifluoromethylation of cyclic β-ketoesters is described. The photo-organocatalytic process, which occurs at ambient temperature and under visible light illumination, is triggered by the photochemical activity of in situ-generated electron donor-acceptor complexes, arising from the association of chiral...

Visible light driven Cu2O-Au micromotors exhibit rapid on/off switching and speed control. Electrochemical measurements confirm that the light-induced movement of the Cu2O-Au micromotors involves a self-electrophoresis mechanism modulated by the photoconductivity of Cu2O. This study extends the utilization of the electromagnetic spectrum for micro/nanomotors into the visible range.

An ultrasound-assisted, precipitation-deposition method has been developed to synthesise visible-light-responsive BiOBr-ZnFe(2)O(4) heterojunction photocatalysts. The heterojunctions with suitable BiOBr/ZnFe(2)O(4) ratios have a fascinating micro-spherical morphology and exhibit exceptional photocatalytic activity in visible-light degradation of Rhodamine B.

Robust peroxidase-catalyzed enantiospecific oxyfunctionalizations can be achieved by simple light-driven in situ generation of hydrogen peroxide.

Linear poly(p-phenylene)s are modestly active UV photocatalysts for hydrogen production in the presence of a sacrificial electron donor. Introduction of planarized fluorene, carbazole, dibenzo[b,d]thiophene or dibenzo[b,d]thiophene sulfone units greatly enhances the H2 evolution rate. The most active dibenzo[b,d]thiophene sulfone co-polymer has a UV photocatalytic activity that rivals TiO2, but...