- Hydrogen generation/Photocatalyst
Bio mimicking the natural solar phenomena that power the world and drive all the natural cycles, Photocatalysis plays a vital role in developing solutions for sustainable energy conversion and environmental depollution, which are prime needs of the techno-economy of the current world. Nano/Mems lab is actively pursuing the goal of sustainable development by synthesizing novel multi-dimensional (0D/1D/2D/3D) nano-hybrid materials that are tailor-made for energy and environmental applications. It has contributed hundreds of original research articles in the progress of the field from basic semiconductor materials like TiO2, ZnO, etc. to advanced binary and ternary nanocomposites using Z-scheme and S-scheme heterojunctions. For light-harvesting and visible-light-driven photocatalysis, the design of active nanostructures with noble metal ions has emerged as a remarkable platform. Many complex structures of high-density active sites with interesting morphology were developed, demonstrating high photocatalytic efficiency owing to their larger surface area, enhanced light absorption, and strong synergistic interfaces that prevent the recombination of charge carriers. Moreover, the results achieved can be used to optimize the process and design appropriate reactors for potential large-scale applications. In summary, the primary focal point of research is solar energy-driven photocatalysis in energy and environment fields.
Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are a new class of functional materials having porous structures that show extraordinary specific surface areas, and tunable surface chemistry; hence, they hold great potential as photocatalysts. This review describes the fundamentals of MOFs and possible new research directions in the area of heterogeneous MOFs that can provide enhanced photocatalytic performance, especially for hydrogen production, degradation of emerging organic pollutants, and CO2 reduction. The role of MOFs as multifunctional photocatalysts for light-stimulated organic reactions through an effective combination of metal/ligand/guest-based photocatalysts is discussed. Recent literature is discussed critically on the design and selection of materials, with possible directions to improve their catalytic properties. Furthermore, this comprehensive review systematically discusses the current developments of various MOFs-based hybrid nanostructures as multifunctional photocatalysts from different points, including several synthetic meth-odologies, key features, photocatalytic mechanism, and various influencing parameters to enhance catalytic efficiency. The recent achievements are critically discussed in the designing and selection of MOFs-based functional materials, with directions to effectively improve their catalytic properties for various photocatalytic applications. The article also summarizes with challenges and future prospects for the cost-effective and large scale photocatalytic applications of MOFs-based heterostructured catalysts.
