Structure-Dependent Surface Molecule-Modified Semiconductor Photocatalysts: Recent Progress and Future Challenges

Abstract

For the photocatalytic process, the development of efficient photocatalysts is a key and important issue. In recent progress, grafting molecules on the surface of semiconductors via coordination chemistry has received increasing attention owing to its unique advantages. The molecules in molecule-modified semiconductor photocatalysts exhibit three main specific functions, that is, enhancing the light absorption capacity, accelerating charges transfer and improving the surface reaction kinetics; and the regulable structure of molecule has an essential impact on the above functions. In this review, a general introduction to the photocatalysis phenomenon, evaluation and construction of photocatalysts is given first. Then, the type of molecules is introduced; the case studies in typical applications of photocatalytic hydrogen evolution, pollutants removal and carbon dioxide reduction are addressed, focusing on the fabrication, photocatalytic performance and structure–function relationship. In the last section, the underlying challenges and opportunities in future research for molecule-modified photocatalysts are addressed and concluded.