A collaborative research team led by Professor Wu Limin and Professor Wang at Inner Mongolia University has published a groundbreaking research paper titled “Photoelectrochemical production of disinfectants from seawater” in the prestigious journal Nature Sustainability. This is the first time our university has published a research article in a sub-journal of Nature. Researcher Gao Ruiting and Ph.D. candidate Gao Zehua are co-first authors, with Professors Wu Limin and Wang Lei as co-corresponding authors. Inner Mongolia University is the first corresponding institution.

Active chlorine (ClO⁻/HClO), the most widely used disinfectant system globally, is currently produced through conventional chlor-alkali processes, which require electrolysis of highly acidic (pH < 3) saturated brine. This traditional method depends on high-purity water (which accounts for only 0.5% of available freshwater resources), involves complex chemical processes (e.g., chlorine evolution, disproportionation), and produces toxic and explosive chlorine gas (Cl₂) as a byproduct. Therefore, developing an alternative process that avoids chlorine gas production and directly converts Cl⁻ to ClO⁻ is of great significance.

Compared to the commercial DSA electrodes used in traditional chlor-alkali processes, this new method can reduce energy consumption by 77.16%, cut CO₂ emissions by 75.31%, and lower the cost of ClO⁻ to approximately $0.042 ± 0.003 per kg. By integrating breakthrough mechanistic and technological innovations, this process achieves a synergy between green disinfectant synthesis and efficient marine resource utilization. It offers a competitive and environmentally friendly solution for the chlor-alkali industry’s low-carbon transformation—marking a milestone leap toward sustainable chlor-alkali manufacturing.