Separations

The highly efficient performance of photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting is largely governed by the construction of active interfaces, especially for the star semiconductor/electrocatalyst system. However, traditional strategies struggle to optimize this critical process. To overcome this challenge, we report a fluorine (F) engineering strategy that enables the synchronous modulation of charge transfer and surface catalytic reaction dynamics in a BiVO₄/FeCoOOH-integrated photoanode. Various characterization methods confirm that F engineering can activate the BiVO₄/FeCoOOH/electrolyte interfaces. Benefiting from these positive effects, the optimized BiVO₄/FeCoOOH-F photoanode achieves a relatively high photocurrent density of 5.46 mA/cm² at 1.23 V vs. RHE, along with outstanding photostability and a small Tafel slope of 96.5 mV dec⁻¹. This study provides new insights into F-based interface manipulation, offering a promising route to developing high-performance semiconductor/electrocatalyst systems for efficient and stable PEC water splitting applications.

Rapid growth of water conservancy/hydropower projects has spurred rising demand for sand-gravel aggregates. Under strict water use and zero-waste policies, treating wet-process aggregate washing wastewater is challenging. Flocculants—key chemicals in this process—directly influence treatment efficiency and operational costs via their type, dosage, and efficacy. Further development of the intelligent control system for flocculant dosing can reduce flocculant consumption by 50% to 67%. However, existing studies have an insufficient understanding of the identification of emerging contaminants in aggregate washing wastewater and the migration of flocculants in multi-medium environments, as well as a lack of research on the synergistic effects of multiple flocculants. Another key core challenge lies in the accurate identification of the impact of flocculant residues on concrete performance, along with the problems of high cost and poor adaptability of intelligent systems. Future research directions will focus on precise flocculation, residue control and resource utilization to drive the development of efficient and environmentally friendly treatment technologies.

In this study, cerium oxide (CeO₂) nanoparticles were successfully synthesized using a simple and cost-effective hydroxide-mediated precipitation method. Comprehensive characterization (XRD, SEM, TEM, FTIR, BET, and UV–Vis) confirmed the formation of uniformly distributed nanoparticles with an average size of ~100 nm, a well-defined crystalline structure, and a high specific surface area of 118.96 m²/g. The CeO₂ nanoparticles also exhibited a mesoporous framework with a pore volume of 0.39 cm³/g and an average pore radius of 2.27 nm, demonstrating favorable properties for adsorption applications. Adsorption experiments showed that CeO₂ nanoparticles effectively removed Pb²⁺ from aqueous solutions, achieving a maximum experimental adsorption capacity of 192 mg/g and a removal efficiency of 80% at pH 6 under the tested conditions. Kinetic analysis revealed that the pseudo-second-order model best described the adsorption process, suggesting chemisorption as the dominant mechanism, while equilibrium data were more accurately represented by the Langmuir isotherm model, which predicted a theoretical monolayer capacity (Qm) of 714.2 mg/g. Overall, the findings demonstrate that CeO₂ nanoparticles possess a strong affinity toward Pb²⁺ ions and exhibit promising adsorption performance, indicating their potential applicability for the treatment of lead-contaminated wastewater and their suitability for reuse following regeneration.