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Two-dimensional conjugated coordination polymers exhibit remarkable charge transport properties, with copper-based benzenehexathiol (Cu-BHT) being a rare superconductor. However, the atomic structure of Cu-BHT has remained unresolved, hindering a deeper understanding of the superconductivity in such materials. Here, we show the synthesis of single crystals of Cu3BHT with high crystallinity, revealing a quasi-two-dimensional kagome structure with non-van der Waals interlayer Cu-S covalent bonds. These crystals exhibit intrinsic metallic behavior, with conductivity reaching 103 S/cm at 300 K and 104 S/cm at 2 K. Notably, superconductivity in Cu3BHT crystals is observed at 0.25 K, attributed to enhanced electron-electron interactions and electron-phonon coupling in the non-van der Waals structure. The discovery of this clear correlation between atomic-level crystal structure and electrical properties provides a crucial foundation for advancing superconductor coordination polymers, with potential to revolutionize future quantum devices. Two-dimensional conjugated coordination polymers can show large electrical conductivity. Here, the authors synthesize high-quality single crystals of Cu3BHT to unveil the atomic structure and intrinsic superconducting properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) has been widely studied as a photocatalyst owing to its advantages of low cost, good stability, and nonpollution. However, they can only be excited by ultraviolet light, resulting in low utilization of solar energy and limited photocatalytic efficiency. In recent years, researchers have found that the nonprecious metal Al can effectively improve the photocatalytic performance of TiO2. However, the current studies focus only on enhancing the ultraviolet photocatalysis performance of semiconductors with Al on the substrate. In this study, Al nanoparticles (NPs) and TiO2 were prepared into composite materials. The effects of ligand, Al particle size, and the molar ratio of Al and TiO2 on the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue (MB) by Al NPs and TiO2 composites (Al NPs/TiO2) were investigated. The results showed that the Al NPs/TiO2 prepared with a particle size of 200 nm of Al, glutathione as the ligand bridge, and an Al:TiO2 ratio of 2:1 were the most effective for the degradation of MB. The degradation rate of 5 mg/L MB solution within 70 min under visible light was up to 99.5%, which was three times higher than that of P25 TiO2. The photocatalytic performance was further enhanced under sunlight with a degradation rate of 99.7% within 50 min, which is four times higher than that of P25 TiO2 under the same light source. Therefore, Al NPs/TiO2 is a potential photocatalytic material for the treatment of organic pollutants in water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The issue of water pollution has emerged as a formidable challenge, prompting a pressing need for solutions. The utilization of metal nanoparticles with surface plasmon resonance and semiconductor composite photocatalysts is regarded as a highly effective approach to solve this problem. g-C3N4 is an effective catalyst for the degradation of organic pollutants. Its photocatalytic performance is usually enhanced by the use of the noble metal Au Ag. However, the high cost of these materials limits their application. In this study, we present the synthesis of Al NPs/g-C3N4 nanocomposites using the bridging effect of ligands. The characterized of transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffractometer (XRD) and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis) proved that Al NPs/g-C3N4 with a wider light absorption range were successfully synthesized. The effects of ligands, (glutathione (GSH), glutamic acid (GAG), and cysteine (CYS)), Al diameter (40 to 200 nm) and the ratio of Al to g-C3N4 (1:1 to 5:1) on the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue (MB) by Al NPs/g-C3N4 were also evaluated. The results showed that the optimum degradation efficiency of Al NPs/g-C3N4 for MB at 5 mg/L reached 100% within 60 min, which was 11 times higher than that of pure g-C3N4. The principal analysis of Al enhancing the photocatalytic performance of g-C3N4 was studied through transient photocurrent spectroscopy (TPC), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and steady-state transient fluorescence spectroscopy (PL). The results confirmed that hot carriers generated by localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of Al nanoparticles increase the carrier concentration. In addition, the Schottky barrier generated by Al and g-C3N4 could also improve the carrier separation rate and increase the carrier lifetime. This work is expected to solve the problem of organic wastewater treatment and lay the foundation for subsequent research on photocatalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TiO2 is a catalyst that can effectively degrade organic pollutants with the following advantages, low cost, simplicity, and pollution-free nature. In recent years, the non-noble plasmonic metal Al has effectively improved the photocatalytic performance of TiO2. However, the current reports are limited to the photocatalytic performance of Al/TiO2 on the substrate, which requires expensive large-scale vacuum equipment. In this study, monodispersed Al particles were proposed to enhance the photocatalysis of TiO2. The localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect of Al is proven by finite difference time domain method (FDTF) simulation. Then, Al/TiO2 composites were prepared by combining monodispersed Al and TiO2. The influence of ligand (glutathione (GSH), glutamic acid (GAG), or 3-mercaptopropane acid (MPA)), Al size (40 to 300 nm), and the ratio of Al to TiO2 (0.5:1 to 10:1) on the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue (MB) by Al/TiO2 were discussed. The obtained results showed that the Al/TiO2 composite which were prepared with 200 nm Al particles, GSH as the ligand bridge, and an Al:TiO2 ratio of 1:1 had the best MB degradation effect. It can degrade 97.7% of 10 mg/L MB in 100 min. The reaction rate of the Al/TiO2 composite with the optimal photocatalytic performance is k=3.36×10-2 min-1, which is 10 times that of P25 TiO2. In addition, Al/TiO2 has a good photocatalytic effect on rhodamine B (RhB) and crystal violet (CV). Therefore, Al/TiO2 composites with the advantage of high efficiency are a type of potential photocatalytic material that can be used for the photocatalytic treatment of organic pollutants in water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to facilitate the synthesis of this compound by researchers who are interested in this material, we introduce the specific steps of the synthesis of this material in detail. At the same time, we believe that the geometric error of the sample holder in collecting the crystallographic data of the sample as suspected by the authors of this Comment does not exist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]