Cascade Reaction for Efficient <sup>1</sup> O <sub>2</sub> Generation Enabled by Spatially Coupled Vacancy Pairs

S Shilan Zhang (State Key Laboratory of Photocatalysis on Energy and Environment College of Chemistry Fuzhou University Fuzhou Fujian P. R. China) R Ruopeng Hu (Key Laboratory of Yellow River and Huai River Water Environment and Pollution Control Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Media and Reactions College of Environment Henan Normal University Xinxiang Henan P. R. China) W Wandong Xing (State Key Laboratory of Chemistry for NBC Hazards Protection, College of Chemistry) S Sikang Xue (State Key Laboratory of Chemistry for NBC Hazards Protection, College of Chemistry) J Jiajun Xie (Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine) R Ruifang Yan (State Key Laboratory of Photocatalysis on Energy and Environment College of Chemistry Fuzhou University Fuzhou Fujian P. R. China) D Dapeng Wu (Key Laboratory of Yellow River and Huai River Water Environment and Pollution Control Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Media and Reactions College of Environment Henan Normal University Xinxiang Henan P. R. China) C Can Yang

Abstract

ABSTRACT Singlet oxygen ( 1 O 2 ) is a powerful nonradical oxidant for water purification, particularly in complex matrices. However, its spin‐forbidden generation from triplet oxygen ( 3 O 2 ) imposes significant thermodynamic barriers. This study reports a pulsed‐laser synthesis strategy to create atomically adjacent vacancy pairs (V Ti–O ) on the surface of TiO 2 , which function as a cooperative bifunctional redox nanoreactor for the sustainable generation of 1 O 2 . The oxygen vacancy (V O ) serves as a reduction site for O 2 adsorption and activation, whereas the adjacent titanium vacancy (V Ti ), acting as an oxidation site, immediately converts superoxide (O 2 ·− ) into 1 O 2 . The V Ti–O pair shortens the migration path of O 2 ·− , inhibits quenching, and enhances the overall reaction kinetics. In an integrated fixed‐bed reactor operated under natural sunlight in a real water environment, this catalyst enables efficient pollutant degradation while maintaining aquatic biocompatibility, demonstrating its practical potential for low‐energy, efficient 1 O 2 generation and wastewater treatment in sustainable solar‐driven advanced oxidation processes.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 65, Issue 27
Published July 01, 2026
ISSN 1433-7851
Publisher Wiley

Journal Info

Angewandte Chemie International Edition

Wiley

ISSN: 1433-7851 Physical Sciences

Authors (8)

S

Shilan Zhang

State Key Laboratory of Photocatalysis on Energy and Environment College of Chemistry Fuzhou University Fuzhou Fujian P. R. China

R

Ruopeng Hu

Key Laboratory of Yellow River and Huai River Water Environment and Pollution Control Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Media and Reactions College of Environment Henan Normal University Xinxiang Henan P. R. China

W

Wandong Xing

State Key Laboratory of Chemistry for NBC Hazards Protection, College of Chemistry

S

Sikang Xue

State Key Laboratory of Chemistry for NBC Hazards Protection, College of Chemistry

J

Jiajun Xie

Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

R

Ruifang Yan

State Key Laboratory of Photocatalysis on Energy and Environment College of Chemistry Fuzhou University Fuzhou Fujian P. R. China

D

Dapeng Wu

Key Laboratory of Yellow River and Huai River Water Environment and Pollution Control Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Media and Reactions College of Environment Henan Normal University Xinxiang Henan P. R. China

C

Can Yang