Nanotechnology in photocatalysis: A pathway towards clean energy and environmental remediation

Abstract

Abstract. The world is currently facing two major problems which are the environmental pollution and the depletion of fossil fuels. Over the past decades, several technologies have been proposed to address these issues. Among them, photocatalysis has emerged as one of the most cost-effective, sustainable and environmentally friendly approaches. This technique involves the use of solar light energy to drive chemical reactions that covert greenhouse gases, organic pollutants and waste water into solar fuels and other value-added chemicals. The efficiency of this process, however, critically depends on the properties of the semiconductor photocatalyst employed. Designing and synthesizing efficient photocatalysts requires careful control and characterization of key parameters, including morphology, light absorption, surface area, porosity, bandgap, and charge carrier dynamics. Recent advances in nanotechnology have provided powerful tools to engineer and enhance these properties, offering new opportunities to improve photocatalytic performance. In this work, we present the fundamentals of photocatalysis and provide a comprehensive overview of nanotechnology in photocatalytic applications. Emphasis is placed on nanotechnology-enabled characterization techniques and their role in tailoring photocatalyst properties, followed by a detailed discussion of applications in environmental remediation and sustainable energy production.