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A significant proportion of antimicrobial agents, such as different antibiotics discharged into the environment via human and animal waste, poses significant problems for ecological balance and human health. Moreover, widespread overuse and misuse of antibiotics have led to antibiotic-resistant bacteria (superbugs), which is one of the biggest global health problems in the 21st century. Since the utilization of solar energy, which is an abundant and natural resource for the photocatalytic system, we report the design of a photothermal–photocatalytic dual-functional light absorber-based ternary heterostructure using plasmonic gold nanoparticle (AuNP)-anchored WO3 nanoplatelet (WO3 NPL)-decorated reduced graphene oxide (r-GO) (AuNP/WO3 NPL/r-GO), which exhibits strong absorption between 400 and 900 nm regions and has the capability for the sunlight-driven 100% degradation of doxycycline antibiotics. Herein, we show that due to the excellent photothermal performance of AuNP and r-GO in the heterostructure, the local temperature increased under 785 NIR nm light irradiation, which boosted the photocatalytic degradation reaction kinetics for doxycycline antibiotics via enhancing the transfer of “hot carriers” and the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Furthermore, experimental data indicate that by integrating photothermal–photocatalytic materials, sunlight can be used for 100% doxycycline antibiotic degradation after 80 min of light irradiation. Moreover, we demonstrate that the ternary heterostructure can be used for sunlight-based 100% inactivation of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae Escherichia coli (CRE E. coli) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) superbugs by just exposing them to light for 60 min. This study sheds light on the construction of photothermally assisted photocatalytic ternary heterostructures for high-efficiency sunlight-driven degradation of antibiotics and superbugs. 

Covalent organic framework (COF)-supported palladium catalysts have garnered enormous attention for cross-coupling reactions. However, the limited linkage types in COF hosts and their suboptimal catalytic performance have hindered their widespread implementation. Herein, we present the first study immobilizing palladium acetate onto a dioxin-linked COF (Pd/COF-318) through a facile solution impregnation approach. By virtue of its permanent porosity, accessible Pd sites arranged in periodic skeletons, and framework robustness, the resultant Pd/COF-318 exhibits exceptionally high activity and broad substrate scope for the Suzuki–Miyaura coupling reaction between aryl bromides and arylboronic acids at room temperature within an hour, rendering it among the most effective Pd/COF catalysts for Suzuki–Miyaura coupling reactions to date. Moreover, Pd/COF-318 demonstrates excellent recyclability, retaining high activity over five cycles without significant deactivation. The leaching test confirms the heterogeneity of the catalyst. This work uncovers the vast potential of dioxin-linked COFs as catalyst supports for highly active, selective, and durable organometallic catalysis.