Pd–N coordination on nitrogen-deficient g-C
- 1School of Science, Xi’an Polytechnic University, No.19 of Jinhua South Road, Beilin District, Xi’an, 710048, PR China
- 2School of Science, Xi’an Polytechnic University, No.19 of Jinhua South Road, Beilin District, Xi’an, 710048, PR China; Corresponding authors.
- 3Department of Science and Environmental Studies, The Education University of Hong Kong, Tai Po, New Territories, 999077, Hong Kong, China
Abstract
Nitrogen oxides (NO x ) are significant contributors to atmospheric pollution and pose serious threats to human respiratory and cardiovascular health, necessitating the development of reliable remediation technologies. Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C 3 N 4 ) has emerged as a promising solar-light-responsive photocatalyst for ambient NO purification; however, its practical application is hindered by rapid charge recombination and limited visible-light utilization. Additionally, powdery g-C 3 N 4 experiences severe aggregation, material shedding, and non-uniform light harvesting during gaseous NO degradation, which greatly restricts its real-world applicability. To address these limitations, this study developed a monolithic nitrogen-vacancy-modified g-C 3 N 4 -supported palladium (Pd) catalyst (CNN-Pd), which features a Pd–N coordination environment and is anchored on Al 2 O 3 foam ceramics for visible-light-assisted NO oxidation. Leveraging the synergy between nitrogen vacancies and multivalent Pd sites, the CNN-Pd composite achieves a remarkable visible-light-driven NO removal efficiency of 75.9%. Importantly, the selectivity for the undesired NO 2 byproduct is minimized to only 9.8%, corresponding to a relative reduction of approximately 62% compared to pristine CN (25.8%). Characterizations, including X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, electron paramagnetic resonance, and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, confirm the coexistence of nitrogen vacancies and mixed-valence Pd (Pd + , Pd 2+ ). The nitrogen vacancies create mid-gap defect levels that narrow the bandgap and enhance oxygen adsorption, while the Pd–N coordination provides abundant transfer channels for trapping photogenerated electrons. These dual functional units work synergistically to accelerate the generation of reactive oxygen species, drive the complete oxidation of NO into nitrate, and significantly reduce the formation of toxic NO 2 .
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BibTeX
@article{yang2026coordination,
title = {{Pd–N coordination on nitrogen-deficient g-C}},
author = {Liuqing Yang and Caijuan Xia and Tianfang Li and Haowen Zou and Wingkei Ho and Dingze Lu},
journal = {Materials Today Catalysis},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1016/j.mtcata.2026.100169},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mtcata.2026.100169},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Pd–N coordination on nitrogen-deficient g-C
AU - Liuqing Yang
AU - Caijuan Xia
AU - Tianfang Li
AU - Haowen Zou
AU - Wingkei Ho
AU - Dingze Lu
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/30
JO - Materials Today Catalysis
DO - 10.1016/j.mtcata.2026.100169
UR - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mtcata.2026.100169
AB - Nitrogen oxides (NO x ) are significant contributors to atmospheric pollution and pose serious threats to human respiratory and cardiovascular health, necessitating the development of reliable remediation technologies. Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C 3 N 4 ) has emerged as a promising solar-light-responsive photocatalyst for ambient NO purification; however, its practical application is hindered by rapid charge recombination and limited visible-light utilization. Additionally, powdery g-C 3 N 4 experiences severe aggregation, material shedding, and non-uniform light harvesting during gaseous NO degradation, which greatly restricts its real-world applicability. To address these limitations, this study developed a monolithic nitrogen-vacancy-modified g-C 3 N 4 -supported palladium (Pd) catalyst (CNN-Pd), which features a Pd–N coordination environment and is anchored on Al 2 O 3 foam ceramics for visible-light-assisted NO oxidation. Leveraging the synergy between nitrogen vacancies and multivalent Pd sites, the CNN-Pd composite achieves a remarkable visible-light-driven NO removal efficiency of 75.9%. Importantly, the selectivity for the undesired NO 2 byproduct is minimized to only 9.8%, corresponding to a relative reduction of approximately 62% compared to pristine CN (25.8%). Characterizations, including X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, electron paramagnetic resonance, and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, confirm the coexistence of nitrogen vacancies and mixed-valence Pd (Pd + , Pd 2+ ). The nitrogen vacancies create mid-gap defect levels that narrow the bandgap and enhance oxygen adsorption, while the Pd–N coordination provides abundant transfer channels for trapping photogenerated electrons. These dual functional units work synergistically to accelerate the generation of reactive oxygen species, drive the complete oxidation of NO into nitrate, and significantly reduce the formation of toxic NO 2 .
SN - 2949-754X
ER -