Praseodymium-regulated microregion electron structures of Bi2WO6 nanosheets to construct non-radical platforms for the photocatalytic decontamination of water by hydrogen peroxide activation.

H2O2-based photo-Fenton-like systems are promising technologies for the generation of singlet oxygen (1O2) aimed at water decontamination. However, in conventional systems, the yield of 1O2 is relatively low owing to competition among free radicals. The oriented construction of a non-radical system could address this issue but challenging. To address this issue, a non-radical platform (i.e., OV-Pr-BinWOx) was developed through praseodymium regulation to facilitate the efficient and directional generation of 1O2. Experimental and theoretical analyses demonstrated that the regulation of praseodymium enhanced both the adsorption and dissociation of H2O2, while simultaneously increasing the O-H bond length and reducing the O-O bond length. This modification results in a more favorable pathway for ∗OOH formation rather than ∗OH formation. Consequently, this special non-radical mechanism exhibits clear differences from conventional 1O2 production via radical pathways. The BWPr-5/H2O2/light system, dominated by 1O2 and electron transfer, achieved a remarkable 93.8 % methylene blue (MB) degradation within 60 min. The MB degradation pathway was elucidated via intermediate identification and theoretical calculations. Furthermore, phytotoxicity assessments indicated a reduction in potential environmental risks associated with this process. Overall, this system demonstrates significant potential for application in the photocatalytic water decontamination due to its robust anti-interference capabilities and excellent stability.