Work

A quadruple-functional photo-electrocatalyst for monitorable PCB-12 dechlorination during alkaline water splitting

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: The photo-assisted enhancement, as well as the multifunctional energy-environment synergy not only demonstrate substantial research significance in electrocatalytic materials but also pose considerable scientific challenges. In this study, we propose a quadruple-functional photo-assisted electrocatalytic (PEC) system for efficient and monitorable polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB-12) dechlorination during alkaline water splitting. The system comprises Ni(OH)2Sx nanosheets decorated with NiS/Ni3S2 clusters and Ag2S large nanoparticles (NPs) embedded with small Ag NPs. This integrated material demonstrates four distinct and efficient functions: 1) water splitting with current density of 1 A/cm2 at 1.62 V vs RHE; 2) PEC dechlorination and degradation of 10-4 M PCB-12 within 50 h; 3) facilitation of Cl- capture and hot electron injection from Ag2S/Ag hetero-NPs; 4) monitoring of PCB degradation as in-situ surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) substrate. The results indicate that NiS/Ni3S2 is conducive to the retention of H*/OH*, while the H*/OH* on the Ni(OH)2Sx is prone to desorption, makes the two active sites beneficial for PCB dechlorination and water splitting, respectively. This study provides a novel strategy for the collaborative application of multifunctional photo-electrocatalysts in energy conversion and environmental remediation.

Source: Journal of Alloys and Compounds

DOI: 10.1016/j.jallcom.2025.183469