Photothermal Catalytic Removal of 1,2-DCE with High HCl Selectivity over the Brønsted Acid-Enriched Sulfur-Doped MOFs

Chlorinated volatile organic compounds come from a wide range of sources and are highly toxic, posing a serious threat to biological health and the environment. Herein, a high-efficiency and energy-saving photothermal synergistic catalytic oxidation method was developed for the removal of 1,2-dichloroethane (1,2-DCE). Compared to traditional thermocatalysis, the 1,2-DCE conversion over Ru-U6S in photothermal synergistic catalysis at 340 °C increased by approximately 44% not only reducing energy consumption but also avoiding the instability of MOF structure caused by high reaction temperature. The excellent photothermal catalytic oxidation activity was derived from the synergistic effect of photo- and thermocatalysis. Ru-U6S demonstrated excellent 1,2-DCE adsorption capacity and stronger light utilization and could produce more reactive oxygen species (^•OH and ^•O₂^-) after light illumination, which participated in the oxidation reaction, promoting the release of the active site of the catalyst. The results of H₂O-TPD and NH₃-DRIFTS exhibited that the use of S-containing ligands in the synthesis process increased the hydroxyl groups and Brønsted acid sites, significantly improved the selectivity of CO₂ and HCl in the oxidation process, and reduced the release of chlorine-containing byproducts. This work provides a high-efficiency and energy-saving strategy for removing chlorinated volatile organic compounds and increasing the selectivity of ideal products directly with MOFs directly.