Nanomaterials: History, Production, Properties, Applications, and Toxicities

Abstract

Environmental sustainability is a pressing issue that needs to be addressed immediately due to issues like climate change, pollution, and disturbances to biodiversity. These environmental problems are significantly influenced by pollutants in the atmosphere and on the ground. Semiconducting metal oxide nanostructures are crucial for the creation of smart materials that are efficient for sensing and purging hazardous chemical pollutants from our environment. Aside from the fact that present energy sources are insufficient to meet modern-day demands, they also have several unfavorable side effects. In this review, we describe how the catalytic and photocatalytic processes can assist us in solving these problems in a cost-, energy-, and environmentally-conscious way. This article covers the main concepts of nanotechnology and the lingo related to it. The study presents a brief overview of the several categories of nanomaterials that can be utilised to provide a catalytic activity that is both practical and inexpensive. According to projected trends, the study also examines the use of a number of unique approaches to improve the selectivity and sensitivity of metal oxide semiconductors. This study summarises the perspectives and outlook on upcoming developments in the field of metal oxide nanostructure research, as well as a thorough collection of the work done to date to address the challenges and current successes, highlighting the effects of nanotechnology on the environment and society.