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both reducing, encapsulating molecules and bridging molecules, and avoid introducing other organic toxic molecules. Most importantly, the prepared nanohybrids have been found to have enhanced photocatalytic activities under visible light irradiation. The synergistic effect of the three components in the nanohybrids leads to the enhanced photocatalytic property.

The molecular self-assembled nanohybrids CdS QDs-POM-Au NPs can be synthesized by a convenient, efficient and environmentally friendly strategy. The POMs, which function as the reducing, encapsulating molecules and bridging molecules, not only successfully realize the strong coupling of the different nanoparticles, but also enhance the electron transfer among the components of the nanohybrids. More importantly, the present nanohybrids can effectively harvest visible light and show synergistic photocatalytic activity both in photoproduction of hydrogen and degradation of organic pollutants. This synthesis method is versatile and promising for the design and development of other new solar energy hybrid systems.

As a kind of highly effective, low-cost, and stable photocatalysts, TiO 2 has received substantial public and scientific attention. However, it can only be activated under ultraviolet light irradiation due to its wide bandgap, high recombination, and weak separation efficiency of carriers. Doping is an effective method to extend the light absorption to the visible light region. In this chapter, we will address the importance of doping, different doping modes, preparation method, and photocatalytic mechanism in TiO 2 photocatalysts. Thereafter, we will concentrate on Ti 3+ self-doping, nonmetal doping, metal doping, and codoping. Examples of progress can be given for each one of these four doping modes. The influencing factors of preparation method and doping modes on photocatalytic performance (spectrum response, carrier transport, interfacial electron transfer reaction, surface active sites, etc.) are summed up. The main objective is to study the photocatalytic processes, to elucidate the mechanistic models for a better understanding the photocatalytic reactions, and to find a method of enhancing photocatalytic activities.