Design, modification and application of semiconductor photocatalysts

The utilization of solar energy is promising in chemical and environmental engineering. Photocatalytic process is applicable for some thermodynamically forbidden reaction such as water splitting and provides a potential approach for efficient solar energy utilization since it could store the abundant solar energy as chemical energy. The study on photocatalysts thrived from the 70s of last century. Among the several types of photocatalysts, semiconductor is one of the most widely studied categories and possesses the potential to be applied industrially. In this review, the types of semiconductors, the modification methods of semiconductors for band gap engineering, and the application of semiconductors for photocatalytic reactions will be summarized, and the challenges and the prospect of semiconductors are proposed, with the aim to provide directions in improving the efficiency and flexibility of semiconductor photocatalysts in design and application for different reactions.