Visible light responsive titania-based nanostructures for photocatalytic, photovoltaic and photoelectrochemical applications

Abstract

This work presents a topical review of selected articles on visible light responsive titania-based nanostructures used for fabricating the photoanodes of the photocatalytic and photoelectrical cells for hydrogen production by water splitting or fuel decomposition, electricity generation by fuel decomposition and pollutant degradation under illumination by sunlight as well as for fabricating dye-sensitized and quantum dot-sensitized solar cells. Three main types of related nanostructures are reviewed: anion-doped titania nanomaterials, cation-doped titania nanomaterials and titania-based nanostructures sensitized by dyes and quantum dots. After the presentation of the obtained results, the prospective further research works to achieve the successful fabrication of visible light responsive photocatalytic, photoelectrochemical or photovoltaic devices with high performance are discussed.

Strategy to Design-Synthesize Bimetallic Nanostructures Using the Alcohol Reduction Method

“…As is well known, the treatment of dyes such as methylene blue released from the paper, textile, and cosmetic industries has become important to avoid damage in living cells and organisms . Recently, the use of oxide or metallic particles has been reported to degrade the complex structure of methylene blue under natural and artificial illumination (Figure a), a methodology for faster treatment than the aqueous solution of sodium borohydride alone. ,− The methylene blue solution absorbs part of the visible light and exhibits maximum absorbance at 664.5 nm, and its degradation can be followed by time-resolved UV–vis measurement in the range of 500–800 nm. The methylene blue degradation behavior of Cu–Co nanostructures with a copper concentration of 20 at.…”

The adsorption of SO2 on TiO2 anatase nanoparticles: a density functional theory study

“…Since TiO 2 has exclusive characteristics such as non-toxicity, high catalytic efficiency, wide band-gap and high thermal stability [4][5][6][7] , it has been received many scientific and industrial efforts over the last few years 8,9 . It has three important polymorphs in nature including anatase, rutile and brookite 10 .…”

“…It has three important polymorphs in nature including anatase, rutile and brookite 10 . Among these crystalline forms, the anatase form is increasingly used in different fields of science and technology [5][6][7][8][9] . Several scientific investigations have been done in order to discover particular characteristics and promising utilities of titanium dioxide and some progresses have been achieved [11][12][13][14] .…”

Why do Hydrogen and Oxygen Yields from Semiconductor-Based Photocatalyzed Water Splitting Remain Disappointingly Low? Intrinsic and Extrinsic Factors Impacting Surface Redox Reactions

“…Unfortunately, that early euphoria and the promise of a quick solution to the 1970s energy crises (another one occurred in 1979) to produce significant quantities of hydrogen in homogeneous aqueous media failed to materialize. In subsequent related studies in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Bard and co-workers examined the possible formation of hydrogen from water in heterogeneous semiconductor aqueous media. , Since then, research activity has continued at a sustained pace as demonstrated by the large number of more recent publications. − In this context, far too many claims have been made in the literature that hydrogen produced photocatalytically can be generated through the process referred to as water splitting.…”