About this Research Topic
With the steady development of the economy and industry, the ecological environment has been seriously damaged. In particular, there are pollution problems concerning water, air, and soil. Solar-driven photocatalysis has attracted substantial attention in recent years for its ability to meet the critical criteria for utilizing green and sustainable solar energy to remove or transfer environmental pollutants such as organic pollutant degradation, CO2 reduction, volatile organic compound (VOCs) oxidation, and hydrogen production. However, the application of photocatalysis is restricted due to its high recombination rate of photogenerated carriers and low utilization rate of sunlight. Additionally, the practical maximum conversion efficiency from solar energy to chemical energy for the removal of specific pollutants depends on the photocatalytic performance, and the photocatalysts used. Thus, the rational design of photocatalytic materials with high efficiency and low costs for environmental remediation is needed.
Developing novel and cost-effective photocatalysts means optimising the preparation strategy and minimising the energy penalty of existing processes. Driven by nanoscience and nanotechnology, manipulation of the morphology, size, crystallinity, defects, and dopants of photocatalysts have been shown to reliably enhance photocatalytic efficiency. The goal of the current Research Topic is to design novel environmental photocatalysts by innovative strategies, such as band-gap engineering, heterojunction formation, element doping, dye-sensitization, metal deposition, coupling with conducting polymers, quantum dot modification, and so on. Photocatalysts are desired with high separation efficiency of photogenerated electron-hole and low recombination rate of carriers.
This Research Topic has been proposed to act as a platform for international researchers to share their recent works focusing on the synthesis, assessment, and application of efficient photocatalysts. The Research Topic includes, but is not limited to the following themes:
• Design, synthesis, and assessment of photocatalytic materials.
• Photocatalytic removal of environmental pollutants.
• Analysis of photocatalytic reaction processes and mechanisms.
• Synthetic strategies of novel photocatalytic materials for use in environmental remediation.
Desired submissions include Original Research and Review Articles on methods for the improvement of environmental applications of photocatalysis.
Developing novel and cost-effective photocatalysts means optimising the preparation strategy and minimising the energy penalty of existing processes. Driven by nanoscience and nanotechnology, manipulation of the morphology, size, crystallinity, defects, and dopants of photocatalysts have been shown to reliably enhance photocatalytic efficiency. The goal of the current Research Topic is to design novel environmental photocatalysts by innovative strategies, such as band-gap engineering, heterojunction formation, element doping, dye-sensitization, metal deposition, coupling with conducting polymers, quantum dot modification, and so on. Photocatalysts are desired with high separation efficiency of photogenerated electron-hole and low recombination rate of carriers.
This Research Topic has been proposed to act as a platform for international researchers to share their recent works focusing on the synthesis, assessment, and application of efficient photocatalysts. The Research Topic includes, but is not limited to the following themes:
• Design, synthesis, and assessment of photocatalytic materials.
• Photocatalytic removal of environmental pollutants.
• Analysis of photocatalytic reaction processes and mechanisms.
• Synthetic strategies of novel photocatalytic materials for use in environmental remediation.
Desired submissions include Original Research and Review Articles on methods for the improvement of environmental applications of photocatalysis.
Keywords: photocatalysis, nanomaterials, environmental remediation, photochemical process, synthesis
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
