2.3. Evaluation of Photocatalytic Water Splitting 6507 2.3.1. Photocatalytic Activity 6507 2.3.2. Photocatalytic Stability 6507 3. UV-Active Photocatalysts for Water Splitting 6507 3.1. d0 Metal Oxide Photocatalyts 6507 3.1.1. Ti-, Zr-Based Oxides 6507 3.1.2. Nb-, Ta-Based Oxides 6514 3.1.3. W-, Mo-Based Oxides 6517 3.1.4. Other d0 Metal Oxides 6518 3.2. d10 Metal Oxide Photocatalyts 6518 3.3. f0 Metal Oxide Photocatalysts 6518 3.4. Nonoxide Photocatalysts 6518 4. Approaches to Modifying the Electronic Band Structure for Visible-Light Harvesting 6519

Semiconductor-based Photocatalytic Hydrogen Generation

Rising atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide and the depletion of fossil fuel reserves raise serious concerns about the ensuing effects on the global climate and future energy supply. Utilizing the abundant solar energy to convert CO2 into fuels such as methane or methanol could address both problems simultaneously as well as provide a convenient means of energy storage. In this Review, current approaches for the heterogeneous photocatalytic reduction of CO2 on TiO2 and other metal oxide, oxynitride, sulfide, and phosphide semiconductors are presented. Research in this field is focused primarily on the development of novel nanostructured photocatalytic materials and on the investigation of the mechanism of the process, from light absorption through charge separation and transport to CO2 reduction pathways. The measures used to quantify the efficiency of the process are also discussed in detail.

Photocatalytic reduction of CO2 on TiO2 and other semiconductors.

Enhanced photocatalytic activity of ZnO/CuO nanocomposite for the degradation of textile dye on visible light illumination.

Strategies of making TiO2 and ZnO visible light active.

In recent years, nanocrystals of metal sulfide materials have attracted scientific research interest for renewable energy applications due to the abundant choice of materials with easily tunable electronic, optical, physical and chemical properties. Metal sulfides are semiconducting compounds where sulfur is an anion associated with a metal cation; and the metal ions may be in mono-, bi- or multi-form. The diverse range of available metal sulfide materials offers a unique platform to construct a large number of potential materials that demonstrate exotic chemical, physical and electronic phenomena and novel functional properties and applications. To fully exploit the potential of these fascinating materials, scalable methods for the preparation of low-cost metal sulfides, heterostructures, and hybrids of high quality must be developed. This comprehensive review indicates approaches for the controlled fabrication of metal sulfides and subsequently delivers an overview of recent progress in tuning the chemical, physical, optical and nano- and micro-structural properties of metal sulfide nanocrystals using a range of material fabrication methods. For hydrogen energy production, three major approaches are discussed in detail: electrocatalytic hydrogen generation, powder photocatalytic hydrogen generation and photoelectrochemical water splitting. A variety of strategies such as structural tuning, composition control, doping, hybrid structures, heterostructures, defect control, temperature effects and porosity effects on metal sulfide nanocrystals are discussed and how they are exploited to enhance performance and develop future energy materials. From this literature survey, energy conversion currently relies on a limited range of metal sulfides and their composites, and several metal sulfides are immature in terms of their dissolution, photocorrosion and long-term durability in electrolytes during water splitting. Future research directions for innovative metal sulfides should be closely allied to energy and environmental issues, along with their advanced characterization, and developing new classes of metal sulfide materials with well-defined fabrication methods.

Recent advances in metal sulfides: from controlled fabrication to electrocatalytic, photocatalytic and photoelectrochemical water splitting and beyond

Nanostructured photocatalysts with high activity are sought for solar production of hydrogen. Spinel semiconductors with different nanostructures and morphologies have immense importance for photocatalytic and other potential applications. Here, a chemically stable cubic spinel nanostructured CdIn2S4 prepared by a facile hydrothermal method is reported as a visible-light driven photocatalyst. A pretty, marigold-like morphology is observed in aqueous-mediated CdIn2S4, whereas nanotubes of good crystallinity, 25 nm in diameter, are obtained in methanol-mediated CdIn2S4. The aqueous- and methanol-mediated CdIn2S4 products show excellent photocatalytic activity compared to other organic mediated samples, and this is attributed to their high degree of crystallinity. The CdIn2S4 photocatalyst gives quantum yields of 16.8 % (marigold-like morphology) and 17.1 % (nanotubes) at 500 nm, respectively, for the H2 evolution reaction. The details of the characteristics of the photocatalyst, such as crystal and band structure, are reported. Considering the importance of hydrogen energy, CdIn2S4 will be an excellent candidate as a catalyst for “photohydrogen” production under visible light. Being a nanostructured chalcogenide semiconductor, CdIn2S4 will have other potential prospective applications, such as in solar cells, light-emitting diodes, and optoelectronic devices.

CdIn2S4 Nanotubes and “Marigold” Nanostructures: A Visible‐Light Photocatalyst

Self-assembled aligned Cu doped ZnO nanoparticles for photocatalytic hydrogen production under visible light irradiation

Visible light active pristine and Fe3+ doped CuGa2O4 spinel photocatalysts for solar hydrogen production

Visible light assisted highly efficient hydrogen production from H2S decomposition by CuGaO2 and CuGa1−xInxO2 delafossite oxides bearing nanostructured co-catalysts

Sang-Jin Moon

Papers

CdIn2S4 Nanotubes and “Marigold” Nanostructures: A Visible‐Light Photocatalyst

Self-assembled aligned Cu doped ZnO nanoparticles for photocatalytic hydrogen production under visible light irradiation

Visible light active pristine and Fe3+ doped CuGa2O4 spinel photocatalysts for solar hydrogen production

Visible light assisted highly efficient hydrogen production from H2S decomposition by CuGaO2 and CuGa1−xInxO2 delafossite oxides bearing nanostructured co-catalysts

Electronic structures of InTaO4, a promising photocatalyst