In-situ adsorption-coupled-oxidation enabled mercury vapor capture over sp-hybridized graphdiyne

Developing efficient and sustainable carbon sorbent for mercury vapor (Hg0) capture is significant to public health and ecosystem protection. Here we show a carbon material, namely graphdiyne with accessible sp-hybridized carbons (HsGDY), that can serve as an effective “trap” to anchor Hg atoms by strong electron-metal-support interaction, leading to the in-situ adsorption-coupled-oxidation of Hg. The adsorption process is benefited from the large hexagonal pore structure of HsGDY. The oxidation process is driven by the surface charge heterogeneity of HsGDY which can itself induce the adsorbed Hg atoms to lose electrons and present a partially oxidized state. Its good adaptability and excellent regeneration performance greatly broaden the applicability of HsGDY in diverse scenarios such as flue gas treatment and mercury-related personal protection. Our work demonstrates a sp-hybridized carbon material for mercury vapor capture which could contribute to sustainability of mercury pollution industries and provide guide for functional carbon material design.