SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3709-4
Photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) detoxification of ofloxacin in hyposaline wastewater is hindered by weak built-in electric fields (IEF) and rapid charge recombination. Here, we report a crystal dipole engineering strategy using high-valence Mo-doped BiVO4 to enhance IEF and PEC activity. Mo incorporation breaks lattice symmetry, increasing the crystal dipole moment and amplifying IEF to 2.05 times that of pristine BiVO4. This promotes directional carrier migration, improving electron-hole separation efficiency. The optimized 4% Mo-BiVO4 photoanode achieves 96.5% ofloxacin degradation within 60 minutes and maintains 91.9% degradation efficiency in natural lake water containing saline and organic interferents, demonstrating exceptional anti-interference capability. This work provides a strategy for boosting photocatalytic performance through unit-cell dipole engineering, aiming to enhance sustainability in wastewater treatment.
Environmental Chemistry•2026•DOI: 10.7524/j.issn.0254-6108.2025020901
The intensification of environmental pollution necessitates the development of efficient and sustainable remediation technologies. Piezoelectric-coupled photoelectrocatalysis and piezoelectric-coupled electrocatalysis, which convert mechanical energy into electrical energy and integrate with photoelectrocatalytic or electrocatalytic processes, have demonstrated significant potential for environmental remediation. By combining the piezoelectric effect of piezoelectric materials with photocatalysis or electrocatalysis, these technologies markedly improve the separation efficiency of photogenerated or electrogenerated electron-hole pairs, thereby enhancing pollutant degradation. This review explores the working principles of piezoelectric-coupled photoelectrocatalysis and electrocatalysis, highlighting their latest advancements in environmental remediation, including the degradation of organic pollutants and value-added conversions. It also addresses the challenges currently faced in applying these technologies, such as limitations in light transmittance, restricted light absorption ranges, rapid carrier recombination, and the short lifespan of electrodes in electrochemical systems. Finally, potential future research directions are discussed, emphasizing the need for improved material stability, scalable synthesis methods, and a deeper mechanistic understanding to bridge the gap between laboratory research and practical applications.
Journal of Environmental Engineering Technology•2026•DOI: 10.13205/j.hjgc.202606008
Resin-enhanced electrosorption for water treatment significantly improves ion adsorption efficiency and selectivity through synergistic effects, making it a research hotspot in the water treatment field. This technology provides an innovative solution to the bottlenecks of kinetic lag and insufficient selectivity by modulating electrode-solution interface behavior in multiple dimensions. Current technological advances include the following: a simple integration method enables desalination efficiency to exceed 92.3%; resin-coated composite electrodes eliminate the co-ion effect and achieve a 42% increase in total salt adsorption capacity; resin-derived porous carbon electrodes with tunable pore structures possess three to five times the adsorption capacity of commercially available activated carbon; and by enhancing solution convection and electrophoretic convection, the resin-filling strategy achieves a high desalination rate of (670 ± 20) mg/(L·h). Studies have demonstrated that different material combinations can achieve targeted optimization of adsorption performance based on specific water quality characteristics. Future research directions may focus on: developing intelligent resin materials with electromagnetic responsiveness; constructing a multi-scale structural design theory for resin-electrode systems; and establishing a cross-scale model integrating electrochemistry, fluid dynamics, and interface science for comprehensive analysis. In particular, in-depth studies are needed on the dynamic behavior of resin-based flow electrodes under electric/magnetic field regulation, as well as the precise construction of catalytic sites on the resin surface. This review aims to promote the widespread application and efficient practice of this technology in water treatment, providing a theoretical foundation and scientific basis for the future development of high-efficiency, selective, and stable electrosorption technologies.
Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12030/j.cjee.202408057
Urban waterlogging, exacerbated by climate change and rapid urbanization, poses increasing risks, particularly in coastal low-lying areas with dense river networks. This study simulated waterlogging in the Shajing River drainage area of the Maozhou River basin, Shenzhen, using the SOBEK hydrodynamic model. Under a 5-year return period rainfall, 47 manholes overflowed and 31.29% of stormwater pipes operated at full capacity. Twelve waterlogging-prone points were identified: eight due to insufficient drainage capacity and five due to river backflow from low elevation. Two optimization schemes were compared: enlarging pipe diameters and implementing Low Impact Development (LID) measures. Pipe enlargement reduced overflowing manholes by 32 and full-flow pipe length by 20%, effectively decreasing surface ponding. LID measures reduced overflowing manholes by only 4 and full-flow pipe length by 1.5%, but decreased maximum flooding depth by nearly 1 m, alleviating drainage system burden. The study highlights the complex causes of coastal urban waterlogging, especially river backflow under tidal influence, and recommends considering sea-level rise and storm surge in drainage design. The findings provide valuable references for attributing waterlogging causes and planning drainage network upgrades in coastal cities.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2025•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3631-1
Anion exchange membrane water electrolysis (AEMWE) offers cost and dynamic-response advantages over proton exchange membrane systems, yet commercial deployment is constrained by the alkaline stability of anion exchange membranes (AEMs) and the sluggish kinetics of non-precious metal catalysts. This work reports a series of poly(terphenyl-diphenylmethane piperidinium) (QPDPMTP) membranes synthesized with varied diphenylmethane (DPM) content. The alkyl chain of DPM induces pronounced microphase separation and elevates free volume fraction, yielding an OH− conductivity of 152 mS cm−1 at 80 °C for QPDPMTP-10. After 1032 h immersion in 6 M NaOH at 80 °C, the membrane retains 90.7% of its initial conductivity. An AEMWE cell integrating QPDPMTP-10 with a non-precious NiFeCo LDH/NiS/NF anode achieves 3.11 A cm−2 at 2 V in 1 M KOH at 80 °C and sustains 1 A cm−2 for 1800 h under gradient KOH concentration. These results establish a viable pathway for durable, low-cost AEMWE systems.