Lasers Research Articles

Pulse-doubling perovskite nanowire lasers enabled by phonon-assisted multistep energy funneling

Laser pulse multiplication from an optical gain medium has shown great potential in miniaturizing integrated optoelectronic devices. Perovskite multiple quantum wells (MQWs) structures have recently been recognized as an effective gain media capable of doubling laser pulses that do not rely on external optical equipment. Although the light amplifications enabled with pulse doubling are reported based on the perovskite MQWs thin films, the micro-nanolasers possessed a specific cavity for laser pulse multiplication and their corresponding intrinsic laser dynamics are still inadequate. Herein, a single-mode double-pulsed nanolaser from self-assembled perovskite MQWs nanowires is realized, exhibiting a pulse duration of 28 ps and pulse interval of 22 ps based on single femtosecond laser pulse excitation. It is established that the continuous energy building up within a certain timescale is essential for the multiple population inversion in the gain medium, which arises from the slowing carrier localization process owning to the stronger exciton–phonon coupling in the smaller-n QWs. Therefore, the double-pulsed lasing is achieved from one fast energy funnel process from the adjacent small-n QWs to gain active region and another slow process from the spatially separated ones. This report may shed new light on the intrinsic energy relaxation mechanism and boost the further development of perovskite multiple-pulse lasers.

Enhanced solar light-driven photocatalysis of norfloxacin using Fe-doped TiO2: RSM optimization, DFT simulations, and toxicity study.

This study investigates the photocatalytic degradation of norfloxacin (NFX) utilizing Fe-doped TiO2 nanocomposite under natural sunlight. TiO2-based photocatalysts were synthesized using chemical precipitation varying Fe-dopant concentration and characterized in detail. Theoretical modelling, centred on density functional theory (DFT), elucidated that Fe ions within the TiO2 lattice are effectively confined, thereby narrowing the wide band gap of TiO2. The findings strongly support that Fe3+ ions augmented the photocatalytic activity of TiO2 by facilitating an intermediate interfacial route for electron and hole transfer, particularly up to an optimal dopant concentration of 1.5M%. Subsequently, a three-level Box-Behnken design (BBD) was developed to determine the initial pH, optimal catalyst concentration, and drug dosage. High-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) was employed to identify reaction intermediates, thereby establishing a potential degradation pathway. Notably, sustained recyclability was achieved, with 82% degradation efficiency maintained over five cycles. Additionally, the toxicity of degradation intermediates was evaluated through bacterial and phytotoxicity tests, affirming the environmental safety of treated water. In vitro toxicity of the nanomaterial was also examined, emphasizing its environmental implications. Scavenger experiments revealed that hole and hydroxyl radicals were the primary active species in Fe-TiO2-based photocatalysis. Furthermore, the antibacterial potential of the synthesized catalyst was assessed using Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus to observe their respective antibacterial responses.

CeO2 nanospheres incorporated with Bi2MoO6/g-C3N4 enhanced photocatalysis towards environmental pollutant Rhodamine B removal.

We have adopted a novel CeO2/Bi2MoO6/g-C3N4-based ternary nanocomposite that was synthesized via hydrothermal technique. The physiochemical characterization of as-prepared samples was examined through various analytical techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy TEM, photoluminescent spectra (PL), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), and ultraviolet diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-DRS) technique. In addition, the photocatalytic performance was carried out by degradation of Rhodamine B dye under visible light irradiation using this nanocatalyst. The ternary nanocomposite achieved 94% of the degradation efficiency within 100min which is higher than the pristine and binary composites under the predetermined condition pH = 7, Rhodamine B dye = 5mg/L, and catalyst concentration = 150mg/L. The experimental synergetic effect of CeO2/Bi2MoO6/g-C3N4 ternary nanocomposite has been ascribed to the interfacial charge carrier migration between CeO2, Bi2MoO6, and g-C3N4. The optical absorption range of CeO2/Bi2MoO6/g-C3N4 ternary nanocomposite was enhanced, and the band gap was reduced up to 2.2eV. In addition, scavenger trapping experiment proves that the super oxide anions (O2-.) and photogenerated holes are the major active species. The reusability and stability experiment proved the CeO2/Bi2MoO6/g-C3N4 ternary nanocomposite keeps good durability during the photocatalytic degradation process after the five successive cycles. Furthermore, based on the results, the charge carrier transfer photocatalytic mechanism was also discussed. This CeO2/Bi2MoO6/g-C3N4 ternary nanocomposite may offer the cheapest material and extend the great opportunity for clean and environmental remediation approach under the visible light irradiation.

Influence of Ni-Fe load in a bimetallic catalyst supported on Zeolite 13X for CO2 methanation in a fixed bed reactor

In this work three Ni-Fe catalysts supported on zeolite 13X were tested for CO2 methanation at different temperatures. The study shows the influence of the active species load on the synthesized catalysts. In addition, the effect of Ni-Fe ratio present on the catalysts was observed.

Constructing Functional Radiation-Resistant Thorium Clusters for Catalytic Redox Reactions.

When catalytic reactions are interfered with by radiation sources, thorium clusters are promising as potential catalysts due to their superior radiation resistance. However, there is currently very little research on the design synthesis and catalytic application of radiation-stable thorium clusters. In this work, we have elaborately engineered and fabricated three high-nuclear thorium cluster catalysts denoted as Th12L3-MA12, Th12L3-MA6-BF6, and Th12L3-Fcc12, which did not undergo any significant alterations in their molecular structures and compositions after irradiation with 690 kGy γ-rays. We systematically investigated the photocatalytic/thermocatalytic properties of these radiation-resistant thorium clusters for the first time and found that γ-rays could not alter their catalytic activities. In addition, it was found that ligand engineering could modulate the catalytic activity of thorium clusters, thus expanding the range of catalytic applications of thorium clusters, including reduction reactions (nitroarene reduction) and some oxidation reactions (N-heterocyclic oxidative dehydrogenation and diphenylmethane oxidation). Meanwhile, all of these organic transformation reactions achieved a >80% conversion and nearly 100% product selectivity. Radiation experiments combined with DFT calculations showed that the synergistic catalysis of thorium-oxo core and ligands led to the generation of specific active species (H+, O2•-, or tBuO/tBuOO•) and activation of substrate molecules, thus achieving superior catalytic performance. This work is not only the first to develop radiation-resistant thorium cluster catalysts to perform efficient redox reactions but also provides design ideas for the construction of high-nuclearity thorium clusters under mild conditions.

Highly Active Oxidation Catalysts through Confining Pd Clusters on CeO2 Nano‐Islands

AbstractCeO2‐supported noble metal clusters are attractive catalytic materials for several applications. However, their atomic dispersion under oxidizing reaction conditions often leads to catalyst deactivation. In this study, the noble metal cluster formation threshold is rationally adjusted by using a mixed CeO2‐Al2O3 support. The preferential location of Pd on CeO2 islands leads to a high local surface noble metal concentration and promotes the in situ formation of small Pd clusters at a rather low noble metal loading (0.5 wt %), which are shown to be the active species for CO conversion at low temperatures. As elucidated by complementary in situ/operando techniques, the spatial separation of CeO2 islands on Al2O3 confines the mobility of Pd, preventing the full redispersion or the formation of larger noble metal particles and maintaining a high CO oxidation activity at low temperatures. In a broader perspective, this approach to more efficiently use the noble metal can be transferred to further systems and reactions in heterogeneous catalysis.

Crystal phase-driven performance of MnO2 in aqueous phase low-temperature thermal catalysis: Synergistic interactions between Mn3+ and surface lattice oxygen

Catalytic oxidation at mild conditions is crucial for mitigating the high pressure and high temperature challenges associated with current catalytic wet air oxidation (CWAO) technologies in wastewater treatment. Among potential materials for catalytic oxidation reactions, polycrystalline MnO2 existed in natural minerals holds considerable promise. However, the relationships between different crystal phases of MnO2 and their catalytic activity sources in aqueous phase remain uncertain and subject to debate. In this research, we synthesized various MnO2 crystal phases, comprising α-, β-, δ-, γ-, ε-, and λ-MnO2, and assessed their catalytic oxidation efficiency during low-temperature heating for treatment of organic pollutants. Our findings demonstrate that λ-MnO2 exhibits the highest catalytic activity, followed by δ-MnO2, γ-MnO2, α-MnO2, ε-MnO2, and β-MnO2. The variations in catalytic activity among different MnO2 are attributed to variances in their oxygen vacancy abundance and redox activity. Furthermore, we identified the primary active species, which include Mn3+ and superoxide radicals (•O2–) generated by surface lattice oxygen of MnO2. This research highlights the critical role of crystal phases in influencing oxygen vacancy content, redox activity, and overall catalytic performance, providing valuable insights for the rational design of MnO2 catalysts tailored for effective organic pollutant degradation in CWAO applications.

Oxygenate-induced structural evolution of high-entropy electrocatalysts for multifunctional alcohol electrooxidation integrated with hydrogen production

High-entropy compounds have been emerging as promising candidates for electrolysis, yet their controllable electrosynthesis strategy remains a formidable challenge because of the ambiguous ionic interaction and codeposition mechanism. Herein, we report a oxygenates directionally induced electrodeposition strategy to construct high-entropy materials with amorphous features, on which the structural evolution from high-entropy phosphide to oxide is confirmed by introducing vanadate, thus realizing the simultaneous optimization of composition and structure. The representative P-CoNiMnWVOx shows excellent bifunctional catalytic performance toward alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction and ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR), with small potentials of -168 mV and 1.38 V at 100 mA cm-2, respectively. In situ spectroscopy illustrates that the electrochemical reconstruction of P-CoNiMnWVOx induces abundant Co-O species as the main catalytic active species for EOR and follows the conversion pathway of the C2 product. Theoretical calculations reveal the optimized electronic structure and adsorption free energy of reaction intermediates on P-CoNiMnWVOx, thereby resulting in a facilitated kinetic process. A membrane-free electrolyzer delivers both high Faradaic efficiencies of acetate and H2 over 95% and superior stability at100 mA cm-2 during 120 h electrolysis. In addition, the unique composition and structural advantages endow P-CoNiMnWVOx with multifunctional catalytic activity and realize multipathway electrosynthesis of formate-coupled hydrogen production.

Zinc-Catalyzed Cyclization of Alkynyl Derivatives: Substrate Scope and Mechanistic Insights.

Novel alkyl zinc complexes supported by acetamidate/thioacetamidate heteroscorpionate ligands have been successfully synthesized and characterized. These complexes exhibited different coordination modes depending on the electronic and steric effects of the acetamidate/thioacetamidate moiety. Their catalytic activity has been tested toward the hydroelementation reactions of alkynyl alcohol/acid substrates, affording the corresponding enol ether/unsaturated lactone products under mild reaction conditions. Kinetic studies have been performed and confirmed that reactions are first-order in [catalyst] and zero-order in [alkynyl substrate]. DFT calculations supported a reaction mechanism through the formation of the catalytically active species, an alkoxide-zinc intermediate, by a protonolysis reaction of the Zn-alkyl bond with the alcohol group of the substrate. Based on the experimental and theoretical results, a catalytic cycle has been proposed.

Divergent role of PIDA and PIFA in the AlX3 (X = Cl, Br) halogenation of 2-naphthol: a mechanistic study.

The reaction mechanism for the chlorination and bromination of 2-naphthol with PIDA or PIFA and AlX3 (X = Cl, Br), previously reported by our group, was elucidated via quantum chemical calculations using density functional theory. The chlorination mechanism using PIFA and AlCl3 demonstrated a better experimental and theoretical yield compared to using PIDA. Additionally, the lowest-energy chlorinating species was characterized by an equilibrium of Cl-I(Ph)-OTFA-AlCl3 and [Cl-I(Ph)][OTFA-AlCl3], rather than PhICl2 being the active species. On the other hand, bromination using PIDA and AlBr3 was more efficient, wherein the intermediate Br-I(Ph)-OAc-AlBr3 was formed as active brominating species. Similarly, PhIBr2 was higher in energy than our proposed species. The reaction mechanisms are described in detail in this work and were found to be in excellent agreement with the experimental yield. These initial results confirmed that our proposed mechanism was energetically favored and therefore more plausible compared to halogenation via PhIX2.

Facile preparation of alkali metal‐modified hollow nanotubular manganese‐based oxide catalysts and their excellent catalytic soot combustion performance

AbstractThe soot emitted during the operation of diesel engine exhaust seriously threatens the human health and environment, so treating diesel engine exhaust is critical. At present, the most effective method for eliminating soot particles is post‐treatment technology. Preparation of economically viable and highly active soot combustion catalysts is a pivotal element of post‐treatment technology. In this study, different single‐metal oxide catalysts with fibrous structures and alkali metal‐modified hollow nanotubular Mn‐based oxide catalysts were synthesized using centrifugal spinning method. Activity evaluation results showed that the manganese oxide catalyst has the best catalytic activity among the prepared single‐metal oxide catalysts. Further research on alkali metal modification showed that doping alkali metals is beneficial for improving the oxidation state of manganese and generating a large number of reactive oxygen species. Combined with the structural effect brought by the hollow nanotube structure, the alkali metal‐modified Mn‐based oxide catalysts exhibit superior catalytic performance. Among them, the Cs‐modified Mn‐based oxide catalyst exhibits the best catalytic performance because of its rich active oxygen species, excellent NO oxidation ability, abundant Mn4+ ions (Mn4+/Mnn+ = 64.78%), and good redox ability. The T10, T50, T90, and CO2 selectivity of the Cs‐modified Mn‐based oxide catalyst were 267°C, 324°C, 360°C, and 97.8%, respectively.

Conversion of 5‐hydroxymethylfurfural and carbohydrates to 2,5‐diformylfuran over supported Mo‐based catalysts

Here, a series of nitrogen‐doped carbon (NC) supported transition metal oxide catalysts were prepared by pyrolysis of chitosan‐metal salt mixtures for the efficient synthesis 2,5‐diformylfuran (DFF) from 5‐hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) and fructose. Among them, supported molybdenum‐based species on nitrogen‐doped carbon (Mo/NC) exhibited excellent activity and selectivity for selective oxidation of HMF to DFF. The presence of nitrogen species reduces the electron cloud density around the Mo species, thereby improving the catalytic activity. Moreover, the interaction between active MoO2 species on the catalyst surface and NC ensured the stability of the catalyst, resulting in no significant loss of activity after four catalytic cycles. 99.5% and 55.1% yields of DFF with full conversion were obtained from HMF and fructose respectively over Mo/NC‐chitosan‐600 in DMSO under ambient air. In order to enhance DFF yield from fructose, sulfonate groups were introduced into Mo/NC‐chitosan‐600 catalyst, leading to the highest DFF yield of 70.2%. In addition, this catalyst also allowed 10.0%, 22.9% and 33.3% DFF yields from glucose, sucrose and inulin, respectively.

Significant Promotional Effect of Nb Doping in Bifunctional Pd/WOx Nanocatalysts on One‐Step Benzene Hydroalkylation

AbstractThe development of high‐efficiency heterogeneous bifunctional metal‐acid catalysts with an appropriate metal‐acid balance for the production of cyclohexylbenzene (CHB) via the one‐step tandem benzene hydroalkylation still faces a dilemma because of the difficulty in inhibiting the over hydrogenation of benzene substrate and cyclohexene intermediate and controlling target product selectivity. In this study, Nb‐doped WOx supported Pd nanocatalysts were developed. It has been shown that doping Nb into WOx supports altered surface properties and microstructures of catalysts, resulting in the generation of more surface acidic sites and defective W−Ov−Nb structures (Ov: oxygen vacancies). As‐constructed Pd‐based nanocatalyst with only 0.1 wt % Pd loading and a Nb/(Nb+W) molar ratio of 0.25 exhibited superior catalytic benzene hydroalkylation performance to undoped supported Pd catalyst, with a much higher yield of CHB (35.6 %) at 220 °C. It was authenticated that highly dispersed Pd sites facilitated the dissociation of hydrogen molecules, defective W−Ov−Nb structures were conductive to the surface transfer of active hydrogen species, a large number of acidic sites favored benzene/cyclohexene intermediate adsorption, and abundant Brønsted acidic sites promoted the alkylation between cyclohexene intermediate formed and benzene. Accordingly, excellent cooperative catalysis between Pd sites, acidic sites, and oxygen vacancies contributed to improved catalytic performance of Nb‐doped WOx supported Pd catalysts in benzene hydroalkylation. This research presents an alternative for the creation of low‐cost practical bifunctional metal‐acid catalysts for highly efficient benzene hydroalkylation.

Low-threshold green lasing in heterogeneously integrated InGaN-based micro-rings covered by distributed Bragg reflectors on Si (100)

In this work, combining a series of wafer bonding, laser lift-off and chemical mechanical polishing processes, submicron-thick wafer-scale GaN-based thin-film epilayers are successfully transferred on Si (100), which provides a heterogeneous platform for fabricating microcavities for nitride-based integrated photonics. Low-threshold lasing via optical pumping from these transferred dry-etched green micro-ring cavities on Si is demonstrated by covering the whole micro-rings with dielectric distributed Bragg reflectors (DBRs), which greatly reduces the lasing threshold upon a better optical confinement at the ring rim. A high quality-factor of ∼3800 can be observed from the micro-rings beyond the lasing threshold under pulsed excitation conditions. Furthermore, room-temperature continuous-wave (CW) lasing at a wavelength of 521.7 nm with an ultralow threshold of 0.35 kW/cm2 is achieved. Our results suggest the use of a burying DBR layer notably improves the WGM microcavity confinement, providing insights for the design of low-threshold micro-lasers and low-loss waveguides for potential integrated photonic applications in the visible light range on the Si platform.

Silver-doped cadmium aluminate and its MXene based composite for visible-light driven photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants

Visible-light-driven photocatalysis has attracted enormous prominence as a sustainable approach to address escalating environmental pollution. Consequently, it is paramount to develop photocatalysts featuring absorption in visible light with enhanced charge separation to perform well under solar light irradiation. Herein, we have fabricated pure (CdAl2O4) and silver-doped cadmium aluminate (Ag–CdAl2O4) by following the facile coprecipitation route while the MXene-based composite of doped material (Ag–CdAl2O4/MXene) by ultrasonication. The photocatalytic activity of the as-prepared photocatalysts was estimated by degrading crystal violet and phenol as sample pollutants. The composite material displayed substantially enhanced photocatalytic performance and degraded ∼95 % (0.0204 min−1) and ∼84.6 % (0.0130 min−1) of crystal violet and phenol, respectively. This enhanced catalytic performance corresponds to the synergism of silver doping and composite fabrication, enhancing the visible-light-response and efficient decoupling of the photo-generated charge carriers. Additionally, active species generated during the photocatalytic process and their role in the breakdown of the targeted pollutants were determined by the scavenging investigation. The kinetics study revealed the first-order kinetics model for the degradation reaction of the targeted pollutants. The present findings unveil the significant catalytic potential of the as-fabricated composite (Ag–CdAl2O4/MXene) for the degradation of organic pollutants.

Organic pollutant degradation over highly efficient Mn–Mo(O,S)2 oxysulfide photocatalyst under visible light illumination

Metal oxide semiconductor photocatalysts have received remarkable consideration as a promising technology for environmental remediation and energy conversion. Oxysulfide semiconductors have narrow band gaps which are appropriate for photocatalytic removal of toxic organic pollutants under visible light illumination. For the elimination purpose of these pollutants, Mo(O,S)2, Mn(O,S)2, and Mn–Mo(O,S)2 oxysulfide catalysts containing various Mn contents were synthesized at low temperatures via a simple method. The structural, morphological, electrochemical, compositional, and optical properties of the as-synthesized catalysts were exhaustively characterized. The photocatalytic degradation activity of the bares Mo(O,S)2, Mn(O,S)2, and other Mn–Mo(O,S)2 compositions were evaluated over different types of organic pollutants under visible light illumination. The addition of Mn in Mo(O,S)2 structure improved the photodegradation activity, and Mn–Mo(O,S)2-30 was found to be the best composition with superior photodegradation performance towards the four cationic, anionic, and neutral dyes. The degradation efficiency of 10 ppm of MB, and MO dyes reach 99.7 % and 98.6 %, within 30 and 120 min, respectively. Mn–Mo(O,S)2-30 catalyst also shows a good photodegradation performance on Rh B and NR organic pollutants. According to the recycling test, the catalyst exhibited excellent performance. The photodegradation follows pseudo-first order kinetics with a rate constant of 0.097 and 0.036 min−1 for MB and MO dyes, respectively. The trapping experiment showed that superoxide anion radicals (O2•-) and holes (h+) are the responsible active species for the degradation on MO and MB, respectively. The novelty of using Mn–Mo(O,S)2-30 for various dyes degradation lies in its remarkable catalytic properties.

N, S co-doped carbon nanotubes loaded with Cu nanoclusters for efficient oxygen reduction reaction.

Developing highly superior precious-metal-free electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) are challenging and great significance. In this study, it is reported that an efficient ORR catalysts with N and S co-doped carbon nanotubes anchored to copper (Cu) nanoclusters by mechanical grinding and high temperature heat treatment. The obtained Cu-S1-N-C electrocatalysts exhibited a high ORR performance with an onset potential (Eonest) of 0.989 V and a half-wave potential (E1/2) of 0.905 V (vs. RHE) in alkaline electrolyte, which was superior to that of commercial Pt/C catalyst. In contrast to N doping alone, the defect structures and active species of the catalysts were optimized by precise modulation of S-atom doping, and moreover, the introduction of S-atoms provided more thiophene-sulfur active sites. This study provides an innovative idea for designing excellent ORR catalysts.

Revisiting the structure of [PdAu9(PPh3)8(CN)]2+ produced by atmospheric pressure plasma irradiation of [PdAu8(PPh3)8]2+ in methanol.

Some of the authors of the present research group have previously reported mass spectrometric detection of [PdAu9(PPh3)8(CN)]2+ (PdAu9CN) by atmospheric pressure plasma (APP) irradiation of [MAu8(PPh3)8]2+ (PdAu8) in methanol and proposed based on density functional theory (DFT) calculations that PdAu9CN is constructed by inserting a CNAu or NCAu unit into the Au-PPh3 bond of PdAu8 [Emori et al., J. Chem. Phys. 155, 124312 (2021)]. In this follow-up study, we revisited the structure of PdAu9CN by high-resolution ion mobility spectrometry on an isolated sample of PdAu9CN with the help of dispersion-corrected DFT calculation. In contradiction to the previous proposal, we conclude that isomers in which an AuCN unit is directly bonded to the central Pd atom of PdAu8 are better candidates. This assignment was supported by Fourier transform infrared and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopies of isolated PdAu9CN. The simultaneous formation of [Au(PPh3)2]+ and PdAu9CN suggests that the AuCN species are formed by APP irradiation at the expense of a portion of PdAu8. These results indicate that APP may offer a unique method for transforming metal clusters into novel ones by generating in situ active species that were not originally added to the solution.

Degradation of Diclofenac by Bisulfite Coupled with Iron and Manganous Ions: Dual Mechanism, DFT-Assisted Pathway Studies, and Toxicity Assessment

Diclofenac (DCF) is often detected in diverse aquatic bodies, and ineffective management can lead to detrimental effects on human health and ecosystems. In this study, degradation of DCF by Fe(III) and Mn(II) activating bisulfite (BS) was investigated. In the Fe(III)/Mn(II)/BS system, 93.4% DCF was degraded at 200 μM BS within 120 s, and additional research on 1000 μM BS achieved 88.4% degradation efficacy. Moreover, kinetics fitting of DCF degradation with the different BS concentrations was studied to find the two highest reaction rates (200 and 1000 μM, kobs = 0.0297 and 0.0317 s−1, respectively). Whereafter, SO4•− and Mn(III) were identified as the main active species at these two concentrations, respectively. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations, molecular frontier orbital theory, and surface electrostatic potential (ESP) forecast electrophilic attack sites. DCF degradation pathways by radical and non-radical ways were proposed by attack site prediction and thirteen intermediates identified by UPLC-QTOF-MS. ECOSAR software 2.2 was used for toxicity assessment. This work studied DCF degradation by the Fe(III)/Mn(II)/BS process in the presence of different concentrations of BS, providing a new insight into water purification.

Facile construction of copper-doped metal organic framework as a novel visible light-responsive photocatalyst for contaminant degradation

ABSTRACT Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) with photocatalytic activity have garnered significant attentions in environmental remediation. Herein, copper-doped zeolitic imidazolate framework-7 (Cu-doped ZIF-7) was synthesized rapidly and easily using a microwave-assisted technique. Various analytical and spectroscopic methods were employed to access the framework, morphology, light absorption, photo-electrochemical and photocatalytic performance of the synthesized materials. Compared to ZIF-7, Cu/ZIF-7 (molar ratio of Cu2+ to Zn2+ is 1:1) demonstrates superior visible light absorption ability, narrower band gap, enhanced charge separation capability, and reduced electron–hole recombination performance. Under visible light irradiation, Cu/ZIF-7 serves as a Fenton-like catalyst and demonstrates exceptional activity for contaminant degradation, while virgin ZIF-7 remains inactive. With the addition of 9.8 mmol H2O2 and exposure to visible light for 30 min, 10 mg of Cu/ZIF-7 can completely decompose RhB solution (10 mg/L, 50 mL). The synergistic effect of the Cu/ZIF-7/H2O2/visible light system is attributed to visible light photocatalysis and Fenton-like reactions. Cu/ZIF-7 demonstrates excellent catalytic performance stability, with only a slight decrease in degradation efficiency from an initial 97.0% to 95.4% over four cycles. Additionally, spin-trapping ESR measurements and active species trapping experiments revealed that h+ and ·OH occupied a significant position for Rhodamine B (RhB) degradation. Degradation intermediate products of Rhodamine B have been identified using UPLC-MS, and the degradation pathways have been proposed and discussed. This work offers a facile and efficient technique for developing MOF-based visible light photocatalysts for water purification.