From synthesis to applications: A comprehensive review of geopolymer materials for photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants

Photocatalytic geopolymers are a class of low-cost environmental remediation and sustainable construction materials. They garnered significant interest due to their unique synergistic combination of geopolymer technology and photocatalytic properties, offering a wealth of potential applications. This work provides a full review of various approaches to synthesis photocatalytic geopolymer, explores characterization techniques employed, and delves their efficiency as photocatalysts in organic pollutant photodegradation. The development of geopolymer photocatalytic materials involves the choice of appropriate aluminosilicate source material, activator solution and photocatalytically active compounds. Several techniques were used such as sol–gel, deep coated and hydrothermal methods. The review provides also a detailed overview of the characterization techniques employed to analyze the structural, morphological, and optical properties of photocatalytic geopolymers. Furthermore, this review focuses on the photocatalytic activity of geopolymers in the degradation of organic dye, elucidating the underlying mechanisms and degradation pathways involved. The impact of various photocatalytic parameters, such as catalyst composition, surface area and solution pH, has been highlighted with regard to the photocatalytic efficiency of geopolymers. Additionally, the review explores the challenges associated with the practical implementation of geopolymers as photocatalysts, including stability, reusability, and scale-up considerations. Future prospects and potential research directions in the field of geopolymers photocatalytic antibiotics photodegradation are also discussed. Overall, this review can serve as a guide for proposing, researching, and implementing photocatalytic geopolymers in the process of degrading organic pollutants present in diverse water sources.