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Main Authors: Hyeri Jeon, Seong‐Uk Bang, Sunyoung Hwang, Heewon Kim, Seol Baek, Jaeyoon Baik, Kyungtae Kang, Minho Kim, Hangil Lee, Seungwoo Hong
Format: Artículo Open Access
Published: Wiley 2026
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Online Access:https://chemistry-europe.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cssc.70735
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author Hyeri Jeon
Seong‐Uk Bang
Sunyoung Hwang
Heewon Kim
Seol Baek
Jaeyoon Baik
Kyungtae Kang
Minho Kim
Hangil Lee
Seungwoo Hong
author_facet Hyeri Jeon
Seong‐Uk Bang
Sunyoung Hwang
Heewon Kim
Seol Baek
Jaeyoon Baik
Kyungtae Kang
Minho Kim
Hangil Lee
Seungwoo Hong
Hyeri Jeon
Seong‐Uk Bang
Sunyoung Hwang
Heewon Kim
Seol Baek
Jaeyoon Baik
Kyungtae Kang
Minho Kim
Hangil Lee
Seungwoo Hong
collection Wiley Open Access
contents Strategic Aliovalent Dopant Engineering in ZnO Nanoparticles for Enhanced Visible‐Light‐Driven Photocatalysis Hyeri Jeon Seong‐Uk Bang Sunyoung Hwang Heewon Kim Seol Baek Jaeyoon Baik Kyungtae Kang Minho Kim Hangil Lee Seungwoo Hong ChemSusChem The most common method for improving the catalytic properties of semiconducting metal oxide nanoparticles (MO NPs) is to enhance the surface defect engineering, typically by doping or structural transformation. Specifically, doping with transition metals can significantly promote the formation of oxygen vacancy that can enhance both of electron–hole localization and photocatalytic activity. Here, we report an integrated experimental and theoretical investigation on incorporation of Cr and Fe ions into ZnO NPs to induce aliovalency that produces highly efficient visible‐light‐driven photocatalysis. Comprehensive structural and chemical characterizations revealed that the amount of oxygen vacancies was increased by doping with Cr or Fe ions during visible light photoactivation. Density functional theory (DFT) simulation demonstrated that dopant‐oxygen bonds distorted surface ZnO bonds for facile vacancy generation, thereby creating trap states for efficient electron–hole separation. To directly link the formation of surface oxygen vacancies introduced with improved photocatalytic activity by different‐valence metal doping, the selective photocatalytic oxidation of 2,5‐hydroxymethylfurfural was investigated under visible light irradiation. ZnO NPs doped with Cr or Fe ions exhibited high efficiency and selectivity in oxidizing 2,5‐hydroxymethylfurfural to the valuable platform chemical, 2,5‐furanedicarboxylic acid. The distinct photocatalytic activity of three different MO NPs was rationalized by the localized defect states created by oxygen vacancy in DFT simulation. This work highlights, through a tight integration of experiment and theory, how judicious surface engineering—through strategic dopant incorporation and controlled oxygen vacancy formation—could fundamentally transform wide‐bandgap oxides into efficient, visible‐light‐driven photocatalysts for sustainable chemical synthesis. 10.1002/cssc.70735 http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor
doi_str_mv 10.1002/cssc.70735
format Artículo Open Access
id wiley_oa_10_1002_cssc_70735
institution Wiley Open Access
license_str_mv http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor
publishDate 2026
publisher Wiley
record_format wiley_oa
spellingShingle Strategic Aliovalent Dopant Engineering in ZnO Nanoparticles for Enhanced Visible‐Light‐Driven Photocatalysis
Hyeri Jeon
Seong‐Uk Bang
Sunyoung Hwang
Heewon Kim
Seol Baek
Jaeyoon Baik
Kyungtae Kang
Minho Kim
Hangil Lee
Seungwoo Hong
ChemSusChem
Strategic Aliovalent Dopant Engineering in ZnO Nanoparticles for Enhanced Visible‐Light‐Driven Photocatalysis Hyeri Jeon Seong‐Uk Bang Sunyoung Hwang Heewon Kim Seol Baek Jaeyoon Baik Kyungtae Kang Minho Kim Hangil Lee Seungwoo Hong ChemSusChem The most common method for improving the catalytic properties of semiconducting metal oxide nanoparticles (MO NPs) is to enhance the surface defect engineering, typically by doping or structural transformation. Specifically, doping with transition metals can significantly promote the formation of oxygen vacancy that can enhance both of electron–hole localization and photocatalytic activity. Here, we report an integrated experimental and theoretical investigation on incorporation of Cr and Fe ions into ZnO NPs to induce aliovalency that produces highly efficient visible‐light‐driven photocatalysis. Comprehensive structural and chemical characterizations revealed that the amount of oxygen vacancies was increased by doping with Cr or Fe ions during visible light photoactivation. Density functional theory (DFT) simulation demonstrated that dopant‐oxygen bonds distorted surface ZnO bonds for facile vacancy generation, thereby creating trap states for efficient electron–hole separation. To directly link the formation of surface oxygen vacancies introduced with improved photocatalytic activity by different‐valence metal doping, the selective photocatalytic oxidation of 2,5‐hydroxymethylfurfural was investigated under visible light irradiation. ZnO NPs doped with Cr or Fe ions exhibited high efficiency and selectivity in oxidizing 2,5‐hydroxymethylfurfural to the valuable platform chemical, 2,5‐furanedicarboxylic acid. The distinct photocatalytic activity of three different MO NPs was rationalized by the localized defect states created by oxygen vacancy in DFT simulation. This work highlights, through a tight integration of experiment and theory, how judicious surface engineering—through strategic dopant incorporation and controlled oxygen vacancy formation—could fundamentally transform wide‐bandgap oxides into efficient, visible‐light‐driven photocatalysts for sustainable chemical synthesis. 10.1002/cssc.70735 http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor
title Strategic Aliovalent Dopant Engineering in ZnO Nanoparticles for Enhanced Visible‐Light‐Driven Photocatalysis
topic ChemSusChem
url https://chemistry-europe.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cssc.70735