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Surface Halogen Passivation Enables Ultra-Stable Metal Sulfide for Efficient Methanol Photoactivation.
1Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China.
Journal of the American Chemical Society
|February 10, 2026
Summary
Surface halogen passivation enhances the stability and efficiency of transition metal sulfide photocatalysts. This strategy prevents degradation and boosts chemical synthesis yields, even under low light conditions.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Photocatalysis
- Surface Chemistry
Background:
- Transition metal sulfides are promising photocatalysts for chemical synthesis.
- Photocatalysts often suffer from photocorrosion and deactivation, limiting their practical application.
- Developing strategies to enhance photocatalyst stability is crucial for efficient chemical synthesis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the efficacy of surface halogen passivation in improving the stability and photocatalytic performance of metal sulfides.
- To elucidate the mechanism by which surface halogens protect against photocorrosion and enhance catalytic activity.
- To demonstrate the application of halogen-passivated photocatalysts in challenging chemical transformations.
Main Methods:
- Surface passivation of cadmium sulfide (CdS) with chlorine (Cl), bromine (Br), and iodine (I).
- Characterization of passivated catalysts using techniques to assess structural integrity and surface properties.
- Evaluation of photocatalytic activity for methanol activation and C(sp³)-H methylation under varying irradiance.
- Analysis of charge-transfer kinetics and interfacial electron transport.
Main Results:
- Halogen passivation effectively suppressed ion leakage and structural damage in CdS photocatalysts under photoirradiation.
- Passivated catalysts exhibited significantly enhanced photocatalytic efficiency compared to pristine CdS.
- Cl-passivated CdS achieved up to 90% yield in selective C(sp³)-H methylation of heteroarenes at ultralow irradiance.
- Accelerated charge-transfer kinetics and improved interfacial electron transport were observed in halogen-passivated catalysts.
Conclusions:
- Surface halogen passivation is a viable strategy to enhance the photostability of transition metal sulfide photocatalysts.
- Halogen passivation not only prevents degradation but also optimizes the electronic structure for improved catalytic performance.
- This approach offers a promising pathway for developing robust and efficient photocatalysts for high-value chemical synthesis.
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