Recent Advancements in Photocatalytic Nanocomposites

Abstract

Photocatalysts utilize light energy or photons to catalyze a reaction. The most significant characteristics of a photocatalyst lies in its ability to simultaneously oxidize a donor molecule and reduce an acceptor through the electron-hole pair generated upon excitation. With the emergence of nanotechnology, the utilization of nanomaterials for their photocatalytic properties has gained a new pace. TiO2 and ZnO nanoparticles are exploited widely for their photocatalytic properties. The recent trends concentrate on devising composite nanostructures that utilize both the properties of the photocatalyst and supporting materials such as graphene, carbon nanotubes, or noble metal nanoparticles to enhance the photocatalytic properties of the semiconductor metal oxide. The main areas of application of such structures lie in the field of water purification and energy harvesting. This chapter outlines an overview of the photocatalytic process and the existing technologies followed by the application areas and the recent advancements lying in that area.