The global energy crisis is increasing the demand for innovative materials with high purity and functionality for the development of clean energy production and storage. The development of novel photo- and electrocatalysts significantly depends on synthetic techniques that facilitate the production of tailored advanced nanomaterials. The emerging use of pulsed laser in liquid synthesis has attracted immense interest as an effective synthetic technology with several advantages over conventional chemical and physical synthetic routes, including the fine-tuning of size, composition, surface, and crystalline structures, and defect densities and is associated with the catalytic, electronic, thermal, optical, and mechanical properties of the produced nanomaterials. Herein, we present an overview of the fundamental understanding and importance of the pulsed laser process, namely various roles and mechanisms involved in the production of various types of nanomaterials, such as metal nanoparticles, oxides, non-oxides, and carbon-based materials. We mainly cover the advancement of photo- and electrocatalytic nanomaterials via pulsed laser-assisted technologies with detailed mechanistic insights and structural optimization along with effective catalytic performances in various energy and environmental remediation processes. Finally, the future directions and challenges of pulsed laser techniques are briefly underlined. This review can exert practical guidance for the future design and fabrication of innovative pulsed laser-induced nanomaterials with fascinating properties for advanced catalysis applications.

Hydrogen production through photocatalytic water reduction, a potential path for future renewable and sustainable energy generation.

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Nanostructured transition metal dichalcogenides are demonstrated to be potential catalysts to produce molecular hydrogen through electroreduction of water. Finding an efficient and cost-effective catalyst as a substitute for a platinum-based catalyst for sustainable hydrogen production is still a major issue, more so for large-scale production. Herein, we have designed dendritic ferroselite (FeSe 2 ) hybrid nanocomposites with 2D g-C 3 N 4 and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanosheets, that is, FeSe 2 /g-C 3 N 4 and FeSe 2 / rGO as electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Interestingly, FeSe 2 /rGO exhibited higher performance compared to FeSe 2 /g-C 3 N 4 . The highly conductive 2D FeSe 2 /rGO hybrid with an aligned curvy rippling surface and dendritic morphology demonstrates an onset potential of 218 mV at a current density of 10 mV/ cm 2 versus reversible hydrogen electrode in comparison to that of FeSe 2 /g-C 3 N 4 showing an onset potential of 437 mV. The detailed density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed to investigate the intrinsic catalytic sites and Gibbs free energy (ΔG H* ) of hydrogen adsorption for the HER process. The DFT calculations displayed 0.33 V less overpotential for carbon atoms of g-C 3 N 4 (0.97 V) compared to rGO (1.3 V). In contrast, hybrids of FeSe 2 /rGO (0.86 V) display lower overpotential when compared to FeSe 2 /g-C 3 N 4 (1.63 V), which is in agreement with experimental results. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy reveals lower charge transfer resistance (R ct ) for FeSe 2 /rGO. The high hydrogen evolution activity of FeSe 2 /rGO is due to the electrocatalytic synergistic effect of iron diselenide and rGO, contributing to the optimum free energy for HER and improved electron mobility.

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Titania as a doped and coupled semiconductor with Fe and Fe2O3, respectively, allows favorable alignment of band edges for remarkable hydrogen evolution.

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