Atomically dispersed low-valent Au boosts photocatalytic hydroxyl radical production

Providing affordable, safe drinking water and universal sanitation poses a grand societal challenge. Here we developed atomically dispersed Au on potassium-incorporated polymeric carbon nitride material that could simultaneously boost photocatalytic generation of ·OH and H₂O₂ with an apparent quantum efficiency over 85% at 420 nm. Potassium introduction into the poly(heptazine imide) matrix formed strong K–N bonds and rendered Au with an oxidation number close to 0. Extensive experimental characterization and computational simulations revealed that the low-valent Au altered the materials’ band structure to trap highly localized holes produced under photoexcitation. These highly localized holes could boost the 1e⁻ water oxidation reaction to form highly oxidative ·OH and simultaneously dissociate the hydrogen atom in H₂O, which greatly promoted the reduction of oxygen to H₂O₂. The photogenerated ·OH led to an efficiency enhancement for visible-light-response superhydrophilicity. Furthermore, photo-illumination in an onsite fixed-bed reactor could disinfect water at a rate of 66 L H₂O m⁻² per day. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited 2024.