Recent progress in metal-doped TiO2, non-metal doped/codoped TiO2 and TiO2 nanostructured hybrids for enhanced photocatalysis

Abstract Titanium dioxide remains a benchmark photocatalyst with high stability, low cost, and less toxicity, but it is active only under UV light; thus, in practical applications using visible light, its catalytic reactions are stalled. To enhance its catalytic activity under visible light, non-metal/codoped TiO2 structures are being studied. These structures improve the photocatalytic activity of TiO2 in visible light by reducing its energy bandgap. This might be useful in wastewater treatment for the photocatalytic degradation of organic contaminants under visible and UV light irradiation. In this intensive review, we describe recent developments in TiO2 nanostructured materials for visible-light driven photocatalysis, such as (i) mechanistic studies on photo-induced charge separation to understand the photocatalytic activity and (ii) synthesis of non-metal doped/codoped TiO2 and TiO2 nanostructured hybrid photocatalysts. Furthermore, the effects of various parameters on their photocatalytic efficiency, photodegradation of various organic contaminants present in wastewater, and photocatalytic disinfection are delineated.