Semiconductor Heterojunctions for Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production and Pollutant Degradation
This research community develops semiconductor materials, primarily heterojunctions and doped oxides, to use light energy for splitting water into hydrogen and degrading organic pollutants.
The work centers on engineering charge transfer within composite materials to enhance efficiency under visible light. Recurring materials include titanium dioxide, graphitic carbon nitride, cadmium sulfide, and bismuth oxyhalides, often structured as S-scheme or Z-scheme heterojunctions to improve electron-hole separation. Key applications are the photocatalytic generation of hydrogen and hydrogen peroxide, the reduction of carbon dioxide, and the degradation of dyes and antibiotics in wastewater. Methods frequently involve the introduction of oxygen vacancies, the use of co-catalysts like gold or nickel, and the synthesis of covalent organic frameworks to optimize light absorption and reaction kinetics.
The largest share of the community's output is found in titanium research, accounting for 10.3% of all titanium research, and bismuth research, also at 10.3%. Titanium also contributes the highest raw paper count within this group, with 22,295 papers.
The community comprises 73,062 papers, publishing most frequently in the International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, Applied Catalysis B: Environmental, and Applied Surface Science.
Recent work continues to focus on S-scheme heterojunctions for antibiotic removal, hydrogen peroxide synthesis, and carbon dioxide reduction, with specific attention to interfacial engineering and charge transfer mechanisms in materials like bismuth oxybromide and covalent organic frameworks.