Visible light-responsive photocatalytic technology holds great potential in water treatment to enhance purification efficiency, as well as to augment water supply through the safe usage of unconventional water sources. This review summarizes the recent progress in the design and fabrication of visible light-responsive photocatalysts via various synthetic strategies, including the modification of traditional photocatalysts by doping, dye sensitization, or by forming a heterostructure, coupled with π-conjugated architecture, as well as the great efforts made within the exploration of novel visible light-responsive photocatalysts. Background information on the fundamentals of heterogeneous photocatalysis, the pathways of visible light-responsive photocatalysis, and the unique features of visible light-responsive photocatalysts are presented. The photocatalytic properties of the resulting visible light-responsive photocatalysts are also covered in relation to the water treatment, i.e., regarding the photocatalytic degradation of organic compounds and inorganic pollutants, as well as photocatalytic disinfection. Finally, this review concludes with a summary and perspectives on the current challenges faced and new directions in this emerging area of research.

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Recent developments in heterogeneous photocatalytic water treatment using visible light-responsive photocatalysts: a review

Advanced Oxidation technologies (AOTs) are gaining attention as an effective waste water treatment methodology capable of degrading diverse spectrum of recalcitrant organic contaminants and microbes. Undoubtedly, photocatalysis is a promising AOT to alleviate the problem of water pollution. Despite recent research into other photocatalysts (e.g. ZnO, ZnS, Semiconductor-Graphene composites, perovskites, MoS2, WO3 and Fe2O3), titanium dioxide (TiO2) remains the most popular photocatalyst due to its low cost, nontoxicity and high oxidising ability. Moreover, titania photocatalysts can easily be immobilized on various surfaces and be scaled up for large scale water treatment. The current review aims to highlight recent advancements in photocatalytic AOTs with main emphasis on TiO2 photocatalysis. This review also discusses the use of TiO2 photocatalysis for water and waste treatment, treating contaminants of emerging concern (CECs), pesticides, endocrine disrupters (EDs) and bacteria using both UV and visible light irradiations. It was concluded that with efficient photoreactor configuration and further studies on the photocatalyst regeneration, TiO2 photocatalysis is a viable option for the reclamation of agricultural/irrigational waste water. Novel doped photocatalysts such as ZnS-CuS-CdS, carbon spheres/CdS, g-C3N4-Au-CdS, ZnS-WS2-CdS, C3N4-CdS and Pd-Cr2O3-CdS have also been discussed. Finally, the advances in the actively studied metal organic framework based photocatalysts that are emerging as effective alternate for metal oxide based photocatalysts is also discussed in detail.

Recent advances in photocatalysis for environmental applications

Organic dyes are one of the largest groups of pollutants discharged into wastewaters from textile and other industrial processes. Owing to the potential toxicity of the dyes and their visibility in surface waters, removal and degradation of them have attracted considerable attention worldwide. A wide range of approaches have been developed, amongst which the heterogeneous photocatalysis involving zinc oxide (ZnO) emerges as a promising new route for water purification process. For the first time, we attempt to review and summarize the recent research on ZnO photocatalytic systems for organic dyes degradation. The photocatalysis on modified ZnO is also discussed, in particular aiming at enhancing the degradation efficiency and activity in visible region as well as solar irradiation. The effects of key operational parameters on the photocatalytic performance in terms of the degradation and mineralization of dyes are detailed. This review also highlights the utilization of multivariate analysis to d...

Degradation of wastewaters containing organic dyes photocatalysed by zinc oxide: a review

Recent advances in photocatalytic treatment of pollutants in aqueous media.

Preparation of highly efficient Al-doped ZnO photocatalyst by combustion synthesis

In the present study, nano-structured ZnO and Sn-doped ZnO photocatalysts with high sunlight photocatalytic activity were successfully synthesized through the decomposition of zinc acetate and glucose by microwave heating. The prepared ZnO and Sn-doped ZnO photocatalyst were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), photoluminescence spectrum (PL), UV–vis absorption spectrum (UV–vis), N 2 adsorption and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS). The results showed that the doping greatly changed the microstructure, morphology and optical properties of ZnO, which may contribute to the enhancement of photocatalytic activity. The sunlight photocatalytic activity of the prepared pure ZnO and Sn-doped ZnO photocatalyst was investigated by the degradation of Methylene Blue (MB) solution under sunlight irradiation. Compared with pure ZnO, 13% higher decolorization rate and 29–52% higher mineralization efficiency were obtained by the Sn-doped ZnO. The results indicated that Sn-doped ZnO had a higher photocatalytic activity and Sn dopant greatly increased the photocatalytic activity of ZnO.

Xiao-Chuan Zhao

Papers

Enhanced sunlight photocatalytic performance of Sn-doped ZnO for Methylene Blue degradation