Page 12 - Multifunctional Photocatalytic Materials for Energy

Introduction 1

Multifunctional photocatalytic materials:

A perspective

†
Meidan Ye*, Mengye Wang , Zhiqun Lin ‡
†
* Xiamen University, Xiamen, China, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon,
‡
Hong Kong, China, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, United States

The development of modern industrial civilization has led to increasing worldwide
energy demands and the worsening of environmental problems. Intense research
efforts have been devoted to utilizing multifunctional materials for energy and en-
vironment applications. Photocatalysis is a special oxidation process that has been
successfully employed in hydrogen generation via water splitting and pollutant
degradation for environmental protection and remediation. Consequently, photocat-
alytic materials have been extensively developed. Until now, a variety of multifunc-
tional photocatalytic materials, including metal, metal oxides, carbon materials, and
others, have been rationally designed by several routes to be effective for energy
applications.
In this book, a comprehensive summary of various multifunctional photocatalytic
materials for energy applications is presented. Spanning the full range from theoret-
ical research to experimental preparation and performance measurement, this work
aims to address all aspects of multifunctional photocatalytic research currently under-
way. With a universal understanding of the necessary fundamental theories, in-depth
background knowledge, status of recent development, and scope for future research,
this book will provide general information for undergraduate and graduate students
interested in photocatalytic materials for energy use. We hope this book will serve as
a handbook and reference for materials scientists and researchers working on photo-
catalysis or in related fields.
An overview of each chapter included in this book is provided in the following
sections under different categories, in order to give readers an idea of the content of
this book.
In Chapter 2 by Mohammad Mansoob Khan et al., the text focuses on semicon-
ductor metal oxides for photocatalysis. Some basic concepts and principles involving
metal oxide-based heterogeneous photocatalysis are highlighted first. Then, various
types of metal oxide photocatalysts are discussed with regard to their quantum ef-
ficiency, light-harvesting abilities, and photochemical stability. Additionally, several
representative methods for preparing metal oxide photocatalysts are carefully de-
scribed. Finally, future perspectives for effective metal oxide-based heterogeneous
photocatalysis are suggested.

Multifunctional Photocatalytic Materials for Energy. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-101977-1.00001-6
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