Surface‐Chemistry‐Mediated Near‐Infrared Light‐Direct‐Driven Photocatalysis toward Solar Energy Conversion: Classification and Application in Energy, Environmental, and Biological Fields

Abstract

Understanding the mechanism underlying effect of surface chemistry on near‐infrared (NIR) photon harvesting provides valuable guidance in developing novel high‐efficient photocatalysts for water cleaning and fuel generation. Efficient capture of NIR light, which occupies more than 50% in solar light, is a tall order in photocatalysis because of its relative low‐energy photons. Recently, NIR‐responsive photocatalysts draw attention as its NIR light induced photocatalytic property for the conversion of solar light to chemical energy. Investigating the relationship between the surface chemistry and NIR‐light‐driven photocatalysis becomes the hotpot of research. In this review, the recent progress in the application of NIR‐driven photocatalysis is highlighted. By summarizing the studies on the classification of photocatalysts and photocatalytic application, the relationship between surface chemistry and photocatalytic performance is highlighted. It can be expected that the review will disclose the forefront accomplishments on the relationship between surface structure with NIR photon capture and simultaneously explore the challenges and opportunities on the development of novel and highly efficient NIR‐responsive photocatalysts for solar energy conversion.