Recent Advances in Carbonaceous Photocatalysts with Enhanced Photocatalytic Performances: A Mini Review

• Published in: Materials Vol. 12; no. 12; p. 1916
• Main Authors: Ge, Jianlong, Zhang, Yifan, Park, Soo-Jin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 13-06-2019; MDPI
• Subjects: Activated carbon; Aerogels; bandgap engineering; carbon; Carbon nanotubes; Carbon nitride; Carbonaceous materials; Catalytic activity; Catalytic oxidation; Efficiency; Fullerenes; Graphene; Light; Nanofibers; Organic chemicals; Performance enhancement; Photocatalysis; Photocatalysts; Pollutants; Review; Semiconductors; Solar energy; visible light photocatalysis; solar energy; visible light photocatalysis; bandgap engineering; carbon; photocatalysts
• ISSN: 1996-1944; 1996-1944
• DOI: 10.3390/ma12121916

Photocatalytic processes based on various semiconductors have been widely utilized in different applications, with great potential for use in environmental pollution remediation and sustainable energy generation. However, critical issues, including low light adsorption capability, wide energy bandgap, and unsatisfactory physicochemical stability still seriously limit the practical applications of photocatalysts. As a solution, the introduction of carbonaceous materials with different structures and properties into a photocatalyst system to further increase the activity has attracted much research attention. This mini review surveys the related literatures and highlights recent progress in the development of carbonaceous photocatalysts, which include various metal semiconductors with activated carbon, carbon dots, carbon nanotubes/nanofibers, graphene, fullerene, and carbon sponges/aerogels. Moreover, graphitic carbon nitride is also discussed as a carbon-rich and metal-free photocatalyst. The recently developed synthesis strategies and proposed mechanisms underlying the photocatalytic activity enhancement for different applications are summarized and discussed. Finally, ongoing challenges and the developmental direction for carbonaceous photocatalysts are proposed.