Citation: Zili Ma. Excitonic quantum superlattices enable highly efficient photocatalytic overall water splitting[J]. Chinese Journal of Structural Chemistry, ;2026, 45(9): 100968. doi: 10.1016/j.cjsc.2026.100968 shu

Excitonic quantum superlattices enable highly efficient photocatalytic overall water splitting

Zili Ma

The demonstration of this superlattice architecture provides a compelling new strategy for the design of advanced photocatalytic materials. Rather than relying on local atomic coordination tuning, this approach utilizes precise epitaxial strain to generate macroscopic electrostatic fields, thereby governing internal charge dynamics. This methodology provides a generalizable strategy: exploiting the QCSE can be extended to other polar material systems—such as transition metal dichalcogenides or polar perovskites—to promote long-lived excitons for various energy conversion applications. Moving forward, addressing the gradual degradation over extended operational periods (e.g., >500 hours) will be crucial for practical applications. Specifically, the chemical leaching of transition metal co-catalysts in harsh saline environments, as observed in the seawater tests, can lead to a continuous loss of active surface redox sites and a subsequent decline in overall catalytic efficiency. To mitigate this issue and enhance long-term durability, future research could focus on employing conformal protective layers, such as those deposited via atomic layer deposition (ALD), or engineering stronger metal-support interactions to anchor the co-catalyst clusters more firmly to the nitride nanowire surfaces. As research increasingly focuses on improving the long-term stability of active sites in such demanding environments, the structural principles demonstrated in this excitonic architecture offer a robust foundation for developing scalable and practically viable artificial photosynthesis systems.
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