Qualitative Approaches Towards Useful Photocatalytic Materials

Abstract

The long-standing crusade searching for efficient photocatalytic materials has resulted in a vast landscape of promising photocatalysts, as reflected by the number of reviews reported in the last decade. Virtually all of these reviews have focused on quantitative approaches aiming at developing an understanding of the underlying mechanisms behind photocatalytic behavior and the parameters that influence structure-function correlation. Less attention has been paid, however, to qualitative measures around the development and assessment of photocatalysts. These measures will contribute toward narrowing the range of potential photocatalytic materials for widespread applications. The current report provides a critical perspective over some of the main factors affecting the assessment of photocatalytic materials as a code of good practice. A case of study is also provided, where this qualitative analysis is applied to one of the most prolific materials of the last-decade, disorder-engineered, black titanium dioxide (TiO 2).

A Perspective on Heterogeneous Catalysts for the Selective Oxidation of Alcohols

“…Alcohols from bio‐sources are interesting reactant molecules for hydrogen production in the quest to set up a carbon‐neutral and thus environmentally benign process [149] . With a report on qualitative approaches towards useful photocatalytic materials, Parkin and coworkers provided a critical perspective on some of the main factors affecting the assessment of photocatalytic materials with application potential [150] . They conclude that although the area of photocatalysis may have reached maturity from a fundamental perspective, the research efforts in photocatalyst design and engineering are still in their infancy.…”

“… [149] With a report on qualitative approaches towards useful photocatalytic materials, Parkin and coworkers provided a critical perspective on some of the main factors affecting the assessment of photocatalytic materials with application potential. [150] They conclude that although the area of photocatalysis may have reached maturity from a fundamental perspective, the research efforts in photocatalyst design and engineering are still in their infancy. Thus, the search for new materials, especially alternatives for TiO 2 , is a field of explorative nature.…”

Recent advances, influencing factors, and future research prospects using photocatalytic process for produced water treatment

“…A disadvantage of large-scale application would be the incorrect choice of catalyst for pollutant degradation. That is, utilizing a photocatalyst that is ineffective or incompatible with the contaminants (Hlongwane et al 2019;Zhang et al 2019;Quesada-Cabrera & Parkin 2020). Xu et al (2019), as shown on Figure 11.…”

Do potential dependent kinetics play a role in photocatalytic rate trends?

“…2 Similarly, within the ongoing green energy transition, unassisted photocatalysis holds out the great promise of providing transformational technologies towards both CO 2 scrubbing and hydrogen fuel production. 1,3 However, due to the highly non-equilibrium nature of photocatalysis and the complexity of its underpinning reactions, being situated at interface been a solid-state semiconductor and a liquid or gas medium, the entire scope of its operation still is not completely understood. 1,3 As with all chemistry, photocatalytic efficiency is fundamentally determined by rate limiting reactions.…”

“…1,3 However, due to the highly non-equilibrium nature of photocatalysis and the complexity of its underpinning reactions, being situated at interface been a solid-state semiconductor and a liquid or gas medium, the entire scope of its operation still is not completely understood. 1,3 As with all chemistry, photocatalytic efficiency is fundamentally determined by rate limiting reactions. 4,5 Though fundamental in nature, a deeper understanding of such reaction rates could possibly lead to vast improvements in photocatalytic efficiency and broaden its impact within the nascent green technology transition.…”