Abstract
Along with the development of industry and the improvement of people’s living standards, peoples’ demand on resources has greatly increased, causing energy crises and environmental pollution. In recent years, photocatalytic technology has shown great potential as a low-cost, environmentally-friendly, and sustainable technology, and it has become a hot research topic. However, current photocatalytic technology cannot meet industrial requirements. The biggest challenge in the industrialization of photocatalyst technology is the development of an ideal photocatalyst, which should possess four features, including a high photocatalytic efficiency, a large specific surface area, a full utilization of sunlight, and recyclability. In this review, starting from the photocatalytic reaction mechanism and the preparation of the photocatalyst, we review the classification of current photocatalysts and the methods for improving photocatalytic performance; we also further discuss the potential industrial usage of photocatalytic technology. This review also aims to provide basic and comprehensive information on the industrialization of photocatalysis technology.
Highlights
As industrialization accelerates, both energy and environmental issues arise
By investigating the mechanism of photocatalytic reaction, it is known that semiconductor photocatalysis shows the advantages of mild reaction conditions, high efficiency, and a wide application range
Semiconductor photocatalytic reactions suffer from drawbacks in practical applications such as narrow absorption spectra, low photon quantum efficiency, and an easy recombination of photogenerated holes
Summary
The world’s major energy sources are still fossil energies, such as coal, oil, and natural gas. With the continuous development of industrialization, most fossil fuels are expected to be depleted in 21st century. The use of fossil energy causes severe pollution to the environment. More and more serious air pollution and water pollution directly threaten human life and health [1]. In 1972, Fujishima and Honda found that the TiO2 electrode can break down hydrogen in aquatic production under sunlight [2]. Photocatalysis has attracted intense attention due to its direct conversion of solar energy to stored hydrogen, as well as its lack of environmental pollution
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