Robust Photocatalyst Research Articles

Surface plasmon effect combined with S-scheme charge migration in flower-like Ag/Ag6Si2O7/Bi12O17Cl2 enables efficient photocatalytic antibiotic degradation

Developing robust photocatalysts for photocatalytic environment decontamination is significant and challenging. A novel flower-like S-scheme Ag/Ag6Si2O7/Bi12O17Cl2 (AASO/BOC) plasmonic heterojunction is successfully constructed using a facile route, and applied in photocatalytic destruction of tetracycline hydrochloride (TC) and levofloxacin (LEV) under visible-light irradiation. Benefiting from the combination of S-scheme Bi12O17Cl2/Ag6Si2O7 heterojunction and the plasma Ag, the production and separation of photogenerated carriers are dramatically enhanced. Consequently, compared to the pristine Bi12O17Cl2 and Ag6Si2O7, AASO/BOC displays superior photocatalytic degradation performance. Impressively, the photocatalytic TC degradation rate of AASO/BOC-2 reaches 0.0260 min−1, which is approximately 3.1, 14.4 and 2.0 times those of Bi12O17Cl2, Ag6Si2O7 and Bi12O17Cl2/Ag6Si2O7, respectively. Moreover, the photocatalytic mechanism of TC degradation is studied in depth via various techniques, and the photogenerated OH, O2− and h+ collectively contribute to the photo-degradation of TC. This research puts forward a neoteric approach to designing plasmonic S-scheme photocatalysts for environmental applications.

Photocatalytic Decarboxylative Fluorination by Quinone-Based Isoreticular Covalent Organic Frameworks.

The strategic incorporation of fluorine atoms into molecules has become a cornerstone of modern pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and materials science. Herein, we have developed a covalent organic framework (COF)-based, robust photocatalyst that enables the photofluorodecarboxylation reaction of diverse carboxylic acids, producing alkyl fluorides with remarkable efficiency. The catalytic activity of an anthraquinone-based COF catalyst TpAQ outperforms other structurally analogous β-ketoenamine COFs. Through comprehensive control experiments, photoluminescence, and electrochemical studies, we have elucidated the unique features of the material and the mechanistic pathway. This in-depth understanding has paved the way for optimizing the reaction conditions and achieving high yields of alkyl fluorides. The versatility of this protocol extends to a broad range of aliphatic acids with diverse functional groups and heterocycles. It also enabled the late-stage diversification of anti-inflammatory drugs and steroid derivatives. This opens up exciting possibilities for synthesizing novel pharmaceuticals and functionalized molecules. The methodology was also generalized to other light-mediated decarboxylative halogenation reactions. Furthermore, our method demonstrates scalability under both batch and continuous flow conditions, offering a promising approach for large-scale production. Additionally, the TpAQ catalyst exhibits exceptional durability and can be reused multiple times without significant activity loss (>80% yield after the eighth cycle), making it a sustainable and cost-effective solution. This work lays the foundation for developing efficient and sustainable light-driven synthesis methods using COFs as photocatalysts with potential applications beyond alkyl halide synthesis.

Dipole polarization-driven spatial charge separation in defective zinc cadmium sulfoselenide for boosting photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

The industrial interest of ZnCdS as the photocatalytic media for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is severely hindered by its sluggish interfacial charge transfer, limited active sites, and serious photocorrosions. Herein, to catalyze more efficient and robust HER, a series of Se-doped ZnCdS with sulfur vacancies (denoted as Se/VS-ZnCdS) are ingeniously designed and facilely synthesized. Experimental and theoretical studies reveal that by inducing dipole polarization through defect engineering synergistic elemental doping, spontaneous polarization field is generated in the bulk phase of ZnCdS, which together with elevated Fermi level renders the Se/VS-ZnCdS with desirable spatial charge separation and transfer. Thus, the optimal 0.6 %Se/VS-ZnCdS exhibits the outstanding performance of 85.3 mmol·gcat−1·h−1 and excellent stability up to 24 h. This work highlights the high efficiency of dipole polarization realized by vacancy synergistic atomic doping in optimizing HER kinetics, and provides a new pathway to develop robust photocatalysts based on metal sulfoselenide for water-splitting reactions.

Customized Ultrathin Oxygen Vacancy-Rich Bi2W0.2Mo0.8O6 Nanosheets Enabling a Stepwise Charge Separation Relay and Exposure of Lewis Acid Sites toward Broad-Spectrum Photothermal Catalysis.

Designing robust photocatalysts with broad light absorption, effective charge separation, and sufficient reactive sites is critical for achieving efficient solar energy conversion. However, realizing these aims simultaneously through a single material modulation approach poses a challenge. Here, a 2D ultrathin oxygen vacancy (Ov)-rich Bi2W0.2Mo0.8O6 solid solution photocatalyst is designed and fabricated to tackle the dilemma through component and structure optimization. Specifically, the construction of a solid solution with ultrathin structure initially facilitates the separation of photoinduced electron-hole pairs, while the introduction of Ov strengthens such separation. In the meantime, the presence of Ov extends light absorption to the NIR region, triggering a photothermal effect that further enhances the charge separation and accelerates the redox reaction. As such, photoinduced charge carriers in the Ov-Bi2W0.2Mo0.8O6 are separated step by step via the synergistic action of 2D solid solution, OV, and solar heating. Furthermore, the introduction of OV exposes surface metal sites that serve as reactive Lewis acid sites, promoting the adsorption and activation of toluene. Consequently, the designed Ov-Bi2W0.2Mo0.8O6 reveals an enhanced photothermal catalytic toluene oxidation rate of 2445µmolg-1h-1 under a wide spectrum without extra heat input. The performance is 9.0 and 3.9 times that of Bi2WO6 and Bi2MoO6 nanosheets, respectively.

Magnetically separable Z-scheme ZnFe2O4/MoS2 photocatalyst for boosting photo-Fenton degradation activity by a hole-mediated mechanism

The development of high-efficiency and robust photocatalysts is imperative and challenging in advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). Herein, magnetically separable ZnFe2O4/MoS2 photocatalyst was prepared by a simple hydrothermal method. The degradation characteristics of several organic pollutants (rhodamine B (RhB), methyl orange, methylene blue, and antibiotic tetracycline) were investigated with/without the addition of H2O2 under visible light irradiation. It is found that the synergistic effect of Z-scheme ZnFe2O4/MoS2 photocatalyst and photo-fenton-like reaction promotes the decomposition of H2O2, accelerates the separation efficiency of photogenerated electrons and holes, and thus improves the photocatalytic activity. The RhB photo-degradation of the constructed Z-scheme ZnFe2O4/MoS2 (96.3%) photocatalyst in the absence of H2O2 for 100min is better than that of MoS2 (74.8%) and ZnFe2O4 (6.2%), with a rate constant of 0.0332min-1. The slight amount of H2O2 boosts the photocatalytic performance significantly. Its degradation rate is 98.6% within 8min with the rate constant of 0.396min-1, 12 times higher than that of ZnFe2O4/MoS2 photocatalyst without H2O2. The magnetic separation, recycling stability and neutral solution process are also confirmed in ZnFe2O4/MoS2 system, indicating the enormous potential of this photocatalyst in environmental remediation and waste water treatment. The hole-mediated oxidation mechanism has been proposed instead of conventional active radicals of •OH based on the free radicals capture and electron spin resonance experiments. MoS2 plays a crucial role in facilitating the H2O2 decomposition and realizing the conversion circulation from Fe3+ to Fe2+ by the redox cycling as a co-catalyst. This study provides insights into the photocatalytic mechanism of Z-scheme photo-Fenton heterojunction photocatalysts, conducive to the development of high-efficient and stable photocatalysts in AOPs.

Nickel-Doped Decatungstate as a Robust Photocatalyst for Violet Light-Triggered Redox Coupling Conversion of Alcohol and Water to Aldehyde/Ketone and Hydrogen.

The effective coupling of photoinduced alcohol oxidation and water reduction may economically produce hydrogen (H2) from water, which is of great significance in solving the current energy crisis. This study discloses that decatungstate (DT) and especially Ni2+ions-doped DTs are active for the photoreaction of benzyl alcohol with H2O, and under 48 h of violet light illumination, the best 1%Ni-DT yields ca. 86.1% benzoic acid and a 4.65 h-1 H2 generation efficiency (turnover frequency, TOF). Also, 1%Ni-DT is efficient for the photoredox coupling reaction of aliphatic and especially aromatic primary/secondary alcohols with water. A series of characterizations support that the doubled-reduced H2DT produced from the photoreaction plays a key role in water reduction to H2, which is accelerated by the doped Ni2+. In particular, it and the derived Ni3+ may construct a Z-type catalyst for water overall splitting, thereby hoisting the acid yield and H2 amount in the later stage of the photoreaction.

Pyrazino[2,3-f][1,10]phenanthroline Derivatives as Robust Photocatalysts Enabling ppm-Level Organocatalyzed Photoinduced Electron/Energy Transfer Reversible Addition–Fragmentation Chain Transfer Polymerization

Pyrazino[2,3-<i>f</i>][1,10]phenanthroline Derivatives as Robust Photocatalysts Enabling ppm-Level Organocatalyzed Photoinduced Electron/Energy Transfer Reversible Addition–Fragmentation Chain Transfer Polymerization

A developed novel Hal′@MIL-PMA triple composite utilized as a robust photocatalyst for activated removal of antibiotic contaminants: A new chemical mechanism for Tetracycline degradation

In this research, an appreciable Hal′@MIL-PMA photocatalyst was prepared through a hydrothermal approach to photo-oxidize Tetracycline. The as-fabricated composite was diagnosed by multiple catalyst characterization tests, including XRD, FTIR, FESEM, PL, EIS, EDS, TGA, BET, and DRS techniques. Under optimized conditions (i.e.; a 1 g/L dosage of photocatalyst, antibiotic concentration of 40 mg/L, pH = 7 and at ambient temperature), 97.11% of Tetracycline elimination was achieved by the pristine Hal′@MIL-PMA photocatalyst. Kinetics computation revealed that the photo-degradation rate of Tetracycline obeys the pseudo-first-order model. Tests on radical trapping manifested that hydroxyl radical was a predominant oxidating reactive agent during the photocatalysis process. The mechanistic decontamination route of Tetracycline was deduced on the basis of the detected transformation products. The decay rate of TOC (63.23%) displayed that the Tetracycline was transferred to H2O, CO2, and simple degradable substances during the photocatalysis procedure. Additionally, the photocatalytic mechanism of Tetracycline degradation over the Hal′@MIL-PMA heterojunction photocatalyst was presented. The as-fabricated photocatalyst displayed significant oxidation efficiency in degrading multiple antibiotics, such as Rifampicin (90.87%) and Sulfasalazine (95.31%) under the above determined optimized conditions. Besides, the photocatalytic rate of Hal′@MIL-PMA heterostructured composite had no remarkable diminish even after five consecutive cycles. On the whole, this investigation evinces that Hal′@MIL-PMA composite can be regarded as a sustainable and promising photocatalyst for decontaminating non-biodegradable and tenacious substances from aqueous environments.

Schottky Junctions with Bi@Bi2MoO6 Core-Shell Photocatalysts toward High-Efficiency Solar N2-to-Ammonnia Conversion in Aqueous Phase.

The photocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) in aqueous solution is a green and sustainable strategy for ammonia production. Nonetheless, the efficiency of the process still has a wide gap compared to that of the Haber-Bosch one due to the difficulty of N2 activation and the quick recombination of photo-generated carriers. Herein, a core-shell Bi@Bi2MoO6 microsphere through constructing Schottky junctions has been explored as a robust photocatalyst toward N2 reduction to NH3. Metal Bi self-reduced onto Bi2MoO6 not only spurs the photo-generated electron and hole separation owing to the Schottky junction at the interface of Bi and Bi2MoO6 but also promotes N2 adsorption and activation at Bi active sites synchronously. As a result, the yield of the photocatalytic N2-to-ammonia conversion reaches up to 173.40 μmol g-1 on core-shell Bi@Bi2MoO6 photocatalysts, as much as two times of that of bare Bi2MoO6. This work provides a new design for the decarbonization of the nitrogen reduction reaction by the utilization of renewable energy sources.

Iron(II) triflate as a photocatalyst for trifluoromethylation of functionalized arenes under blue LED light: Access to bioactive compounds

The trifluoromethyl group (-CF3) containing motifs are valuable leads for the small molecule drug discovery process and have multiple applications in medicine, agriculture, and material science. Not many CF3-containing motifs are commercially accessible; therefore, it is critical to design more advanced building blocks. In this work, we demonstrate an oxidant-free, scalable, and user-friendly protocol for the direct C(sp2)-H trifluoromethylation of functionalized arenes using Iron(II) triflate as a robust photocatalyst and bench-stable CF3SO2Na (1.5 equiv.) as a CF3 source under blue light irradiation. This method was extrapolated to >30 examples and compatible with potential functional groups (-NO2, -NH2, OH, -CHO, -CO2H, halogens, etc.). Notably, the utility of this approach is showcased for the synthesis of novel CF3-containing synthetic building blocks and a few bioactive compounds.

Defect-enriched BiOIO3/Ti3C2 MXene 2D/2D Schottky-type heterostructure for efficient and selective CH4 production via CO2 photoreduction: Unveiling the roles of defect inclusion and Ti3C2 MXene co-catalyst

The photoreduction of CO2 using solar energy to produce energy-efficient fuels is a sustainable technology that addresses energy needs while reducing carbon emissions. However, synthesizing efficient and robust photocatalysts for this process is challenging. This study introduces a viable approach for highly selective CO2 photoreduction to CH4 production by integrating defect-enriched BiOIO3 (DEBI) with a Ti3C2 (TC) MXene co-catalyst, forming an efficient 2D/2D Schottky-type heterostructure. The DEBI, enhanced with precise defect engineering, showed improved light absorption and charge separation efficiency. In tandem, the TC MXene co-catalyst facilitated rapid electron transfer and significantly minimized charge recombination. Consequently, the DEBI/TC-2 heterostructure, with an optimal 2 wt% TC MXene loading, achieved a CH4 yield of 52.8 μmol h−1 g−1, representing a remarkable 20.5- and 6.3-fold increase over pristine BiOIO3 and DEBI, respectively. The Schottky-type 2D/2D heterostructure also demonstrated an impressive apparent quantum yield of 0.72%, 99% CH4 selectivity over H2 generation, and remarkable stability across multiple cycles. This study underscores the synergistic advantages of defect engineering and MXene co-catalyst integration in a single system, proposing a novel direction for designing highly efficient photocatalysts for solar-driven CO2 reduction in energy-efficient fuel production.

Antimony-doped cerium ferrite: a robust photocatalyst for the mitigation of diclofenac potassium, an emerging contaminant

The present work reports an improvement in the photocatalytic performance of cerium ferrite (CeFeO3) via doping of antimony (Sb) towards the photodegradation of toxic pharmaceutical pollutant i.e. diclofenac potassium. The variable concentrations of Ce1-xSbxFeO3 (x = 0.00, 0.01, 0.03, 0.05, 0.06, 0.07, 0.09) were prepared using facile co-precipitation route and subsequently characterized for their optical, structural, morphological, and dielectric properties using various analytical techniques. It was established that an increase in Sb concentration as dopant (up to x = 0.07) reduced the optical band gap from 2.74 eV to 2.42 eV making it suitable candidate for photodegradation. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern revealed orthorhombic phase of synthesized materials with small crystallite sizes in the range of 15.28 to 2.42 nm. The high value of dielectric constant (3.5841 × 106) for Ce0.93Sb0.07FeO3 with small loss tan (3.1208) compared with the CeFeO3 indicated its ability as photocatalyst to effectively store charges to make them utilize for photocatalytic activity. The degradation efficiency of Ce0.93Sb0.07FeO3 reached 86.7% in 120 min of light irradiation under optimized conditions (pH = 4, catalyst dosage = 15 mg, primary drug concentration = 5 mg/L). Ce0.93Sb0.07FeO3 was also found to be stable over its multiple catalytic runs as only 6.5% decline in degradation efficiency was observed in recyclability test. The remarkable performance of antimony doped cerium ferrite against the removal of persistent pharmaceutical pollutant indicated its strong potential to be used in wastewater treatment in future works.

Phenalenyl-Based Photocatalyst for Bioinspired Oxidative Dehydrogenation of N-Heterocycles and Benzyl Alcohols.

The environmental benefits of molecular oxygen as the oxidizing agent in oxidation reactions that synthesize fine chemicals cannot be overstated. Increased interest in developing robust photocatalysts is stimulated by the fact that the current photocatalytic transformation boom has made previously inaccessible synthetic approaches possible. Motivated by enzymatic catalysis, employing a reusable phenalenyl-based photocatalyst, we have successfully developed oxidative dehydrogenation utilizing molecular oxygen as a greener oxidant. Under photoinduced oxidative dehydrogenation conditions, different types of saturated N-heterocycles and alcohols were successfully dehydrogenated. The versatility of this bioinspired protocol is demonstrated by the fact that a wide variety of N-heteroaromatics, such as quinoline, carbazole, quinoxaline, acridine, and indole derivatives, as well as aldehydes and ketones, were successfully synthesized. Detailed mechanistic studies validate the proposed mechanism. Fluorescence lifetime and CV experiments revealed the crucial role of water on the efficiency of the reaction. The present protocol also provides chemoselectivity and scalability, leading to superior results and allowing for the functionalization of bioactive molecules at a late stage in a sustainable manner.

Interface engineering in a nitrogen-rich COF/BiOBr S-scheme heterojunction triggering efficient photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline antibiotics

Tetracycline (TC) antibiotics, extensively utilized in livestock farming and aquaculture, pose significant environmental challenges. Photocatalysis, leveraging renewable sunlight and reusable photocatalysts, offers a promising avenue for mitigating TC pollution. However, identifying robust photocatalysts remains a formidable challenge. This study introduces a novel hollow-flower-ball-like nanoheterojunction composed of a nitrogen-rich covalent organic framework (N-COF) coupled with BiOBr (BOB), a semiconductor with a higher Fermi level. The synthesized N-COF/BOB S-scheme nanoheterojunction features an expanded contact interface, strengthened chemical bonding, and unique band topologies. The N-COF/BOB composites showcased exceptional TC degradation performance, achieving an 81.2% removal of 60 mg/L TC within 2 h, markedly surpassing the individual efficiencies of N-COF and BOB by factors of 3.80 and 5.96, respectively. Furthermore, the total organic carbon (TOC) removal efficiency highlights a superior mineralization capacity in the N-COF/BOB composite compared to the individual components, N-COF and BOB. The toxicity assessment revealed that the degradation intermediates possess diminished environmental toxicity. This enhanced performance is ascribed to the robust S-scheme nanoheterojunction structure, which promotes efficient photoinduced electron transfer from BOB to N-COF. This process also augments the separation of photogenerated charge carriers, resulting in an increased yield of superoxide radicals (∙O2−) and hydroxyl radicals (∙OH). These reactive species significantly contribute to the degradation and mineralization of TC. Consequently, this study introduces a sustainable approach for addressing emerging antibiotic contaminants, employing COF-based photocatalysts.

Green synthesis of zinc oxide marigold shaped clusters using Eucalyptus globulus leaf extract as robust photocatalyst for dyes degradation under sunlight

This paper reports a facile route to synthesis of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles assembled into marigold shaped clusters utilizing the Eucalyptus globulus leaf extract. Synthesized ZnO marigold shaped clusters were examined as catalyst for photocatalytic degradation of non-degradable organic dyes under the natural sunlight. The structural properties of as-synthesized ZnO marigold shaped clusters were demonstrated by powder-X-ray diffraction confirming the high crystallinity with hexagonal phase. Moreover, detailed structural and crystallographic analyses for as-synthesized ZnO marigold shaped clusters were analyzed through Rietveld refinement using FULLPROF software which further confirmed the wurtzite-type structure with P63mc space group. Field emission scanning electron microscopy was utilized to investigate the morphology of the synthesized ZnO, which revealed that nanoparticles assembled in clusters and eventually transformed into marigold shaped structures. Transmission electron microscopy analysis demonstrated that as-synthesized ZnO marigold shaped clusters consist of spherical and hexagonal nanoparticles with average crystallite size of 6 ± 2 nm. The role of Eucalyptus globulus leaf extract for the formation of ZnO clusters was discussed in detail by the plausible reaction mechanism. As-synthesized ZnO marigold shaped clusters exhibited the excellent photocatalytic behavior by observing almost 98 % photocatalytic performance towards organic dyes under open air sunlight condition. The aim of such investigation of the synthesized ZnO clusters has potential as solar based photocatalytic application towards efficient degradation of organic dyes.

A scalable approach using a gC3N4-covalent organic framework hybrid catalyst towards sustainable hydrogen production from seawater and wastewater.

The photocatalytic generation of H2 using covalent organic frameworks (COFs) is gaining more interest. While numerous reports have focused on the production of H2 from deionized water using COFs, the inability to produce H2 from industrial wastewater or seawater is a common limitation in many reported catalysts. Additionally, many of these reports lack a clear path to scale up the catalyst synthesis. In this study, we explore the prospect of hybridizing a COF with gC3N4 to create a robust photocatalyst for efficient H2 generation. This hybrid exhibits outstanding performance not only in deionized water, but also in wastewater, and simulated seawater. Furthermore, we explore the feasibility of the bulk-scale synthesis and successfully produce a 20 g hybrid catalyst in a single batch, and the synthesis method is scalable to achieve the commercial target. Remarkably, a maximum HER rate of 94 873 μmol g-1 h-1 and 109 125 μmol g-1 h-1 was obtained for the hybrid catalyst from industrial wastewater and simulated seawater, respectively. The performance of bulk-scale batches closely matches that of the small-scale ones. This research paves the way for the utilization of organic photocatalysts on a commercial scale, offering a promising solution for sustainable large-scale H2 production.

A robust Fe-based heterogeneous photocatalyst for the visible-light-mediated selective reduction of an impure CO2 stream.

The transformation of CO2 into value-added products from an impure CO2 stream, such as flue gas or exhaust gas, directly contributes to the principle of carbon capture and utilization (CCU). Thus, we have developed a robust iron-based heterogeneous photocatalyst that can convert the exhaust gas from the car into CO with an exceptional production rate of 145 μmol g-1 h-1. We characterized this photocatalyst by PXRD, XPS, ssNMR, EXAFS, XANES, HR-TEM, and further provided mechanistic experiments, and multi-scale/level computational studies. We have reached a clear understanding of its properties and performance that indicates that this highly robust photocatalyst could be used to design an efficient visible-light-mediated reduction strategy for the transformation of impure CO2 streams into value-added products.

A Brief Overview of the Morphological Characteristics of Cain2s4- based Photocatalysts and Their Influence on Boosting the Photocatalytic Behavior

CaIn2S4-based heterojunctions have gained significant attention as robust photocatalysts for sustainable environmental applications like organic degradation and H2 production. This study introduces a brief overview of the morphological characteristics of CaIn2S4-based composites and their effects on their catalytic properties. The fabrication of CaIn2S4- based photocatalysts with hierarchical or nanosheet heterostructures could offer an adequate surface area to volume ratio, enhancing the accessibility of pollutants to the catalyst surface and boosting the photodegradation performance. Moreover, the increased active sites reflect positive effects on the visible-light absorption efficiency. The perfect interfacial contact in the CaIn2S4-based composites facilitated the photocarrier transfer, hampered their reunion rate, prolonged their lifetime, and improved their utilization. The morphological durability and stability of CaIn2S4-based composites are also important variables influencing the photoreaction capacity. Finally, the optimization of surface states and morphological defects can modify the electronic structure of CaIn2S4-based semiconductors, improving their optical properties.

Fluorinated carbon encapsulated NiO cluster/TiO2 nanotubes as a robust photocatalyst for hydrogen evolution

Theoretical predictions directed modulations on work function, kinetics of interfacial charge transfer and surface hydrogen binding from NiO cluster and highly electronegative surface encapsulation allow significant increases in HER performance.

Janus Zn-IV-VI: Robust Photocatalysts with Enhanced Built-In Electric Fields and Strain-Regulation Capability for Water Splitting.

The use of 2D materials to produce hydrogen (H2 ) fuel via photocatalytic water splitting has been intensively studied. However, the simultaneous fulfillment of the three essential requirements-high photon utilization, rapid carrier transfer, and low-barrier redox reactions-for wide-pH-range production of H2 still poses a significant challenge with noadditional modulation. By employing the first-principles calculations, it has been observed that the Janus ZnXY2 structures (X = Si/Ge/Sn, Y = S/Se/Te) exhibit significantly enhanced built-in electric fields (0.20-0.36eVÅ-1 ), which address the limitations intrinsically. Compared to conventional Janus membranes, the ductile ZnSnSe2 and ZnSnTe2 monolayers have stronger regulation of electric fields, resulting in improved electron mobility and excitonic nature (Ebinding = 0.50/0.35eV). Both monolayers exhibit lower energy barriers of hydrogen evolution reaction (HER, 0.98/0.86eV, pH = 7) and resistance to photocorrosion across pH 0-7. Furthermore, the 1% tensile strain can further boost visible light utilization and intermediate absorption. The optimal AC-type bilayer stacking configuration is conducive to enhancing electric fields for photocatalysis. Overall, Janus ZnXY2 membranes overcome the major challenges faced by conventional 2D photocatalysts via intrinsic polarization and external amelioration, enabling efficient and controllable photocatalysis without the need for doping or heterojunctions.