Photocatalysts for solar energy conversion: Recent advances and environmental applications

The sustainable use of solar energy is critical to addressing the global energy crisis and environmental problems caused by the overconsumption of fossil fuels. However, satisfactory and efficient conversion of sunlight into energy is impossible without developing and using efficient photocatalysts. Environmental remediation by solar-based photocatalytic systems is a promising solution to many environmental problems, including efficiently removing pollutants by decomposition. Photocatalysts are crucial for the broad utilization of solar energy in various fields. Semiconductor photocatalysts are important materials that can be classified into metal oxide and non-oxide materials. Solar photocatalytic water and wastewater treatment, remediation of polluted soil, solar photocatalytic greenhouse gas removal, and solar photocatalytic air purification are some the environmental application of photocatalysts. Photocatalysts for solar energy conversion can be prepared using electrospinning, solid-phase methods, gas-phase methods, and liquid-phase methods. Most of the currently developed photocatalysts have poor quantum efficiencies and fail to utilize the visible spectrum of the light. In addition, most methods available for preparing photocatalysts are expensive or fail to produce photocatalysts with satisfactory performance for specific applications. This study presents recent advances in the development of photocatalysts for solar energy conversion and the synthesis methods for such nanomaterials. In addition, various applications of such photocatalysts in solar-based systems are discussed, emphasizing environmental applications. Finally, challenges in developing and using photocatalysts for solar energy conversion and research prospects in areas of photocatalytic solar energy conversion for environmental applications are presented.