Semiconductor Photocatalysis for Water Purification

Abstract Nanosemiconductor materials have been widely used for photocatalytic degradation of all kinds of organic pollutions in water system due to the advantages such as high specific surface area, abundant reactive sites, and excellent photochemical performance. However, their application in the photocatalytic field is restricted as a result of the fast combination of photo-induced electron-holes pairs and limited visible-light absorption. Considerable strategies have been developed in the past decades. In this chapter, the development and importance of semiconductor-based photocatalysts in environmental treatment are summarized. The improvement via doping, morphology control, design of photocatalytic reactors, and porous material support are emphasized. Additionally, the design of highly efficient photoelectrocatalysis processes and their reactors are also discussed. Meanwhile, discoveries in the underlying mechanisms of the interfacial electron transfer and electron-holes separation are presented. Highlights of the challenges and proposed strategies in developing advanced nanosemiconductor photocatalysts for the application in degradation of pollutants are proposed.