Hot electron transfer in UiO-66/porous carbon endows excellent photothermal degradation of organic pollutants

A UiO-66/porous carbon heterojunction was constructed to achieve synergistic photothermal catalysis for dye degradation. • The mechanism of photothermally enhanced interfacial electron transfer was elucidated by combining in-situ characterization and simulations. • The composite exhibited high removal efficiencies for MO and RhB (93% and 88%, respectively) along with excellent cycling stability. • The non-phytotoxic degradation products confirm the ecological safety and practical application potential of this system. A UiO‑66/porous carbon composite was developed as a photothermal catalytic system for the efficient degradation of recalcitrant organic pollutants methyl orange (MO) and rhodamine B (RhB) in aqueous environments. UiO‑66 offers a high specific surface area and abundant active sites, while porous carbon provides broad‑spectrum light absorption and efficient photothermal conversion. Irradiated with simulated sunlight, the composite removed 93% of MO and 88% of RhB, with apparent rate constants markedly exceeding those of the individual components. The mechanism of hot electron transfer at the interface between UiO-66 and porous carbon driven by photothermal effects has been revealed through in-situ XPS analysis and FDTD electromagnetic field simulations. Porous carbon, as the dominant photothermal component, generates localized heating to enhance reaction kinetics and facilitates charge separation and migration in UiO-66 through interfacial hot-electron transfer, thereby synergistically promoting the formation of reactive oxygen species (·OH and ·O 2 ⁻). Additionally, hydroponic experiments with mung beans confirmed the non‑phytotoxicity of the degradation products, underscoring the ecological safety of the system. This work provides design and mechanistic insights for the development of efficient, stable, and environmentally sustainable solar‑driven materials for wastewater remediation. Download: Download high-res image (189KB) Download: Download full-size image