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Visible‐to‐NIR Photon Harvesting: Progressive Engineering of Catalysts for Solar‐Powered Environmental Purification and Fuel Production
Author(s) -
Yang MinQuan,
Gao Minmin,
Hong Minghui,
Ho Ghim Wei
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
advanced materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 10.707
H-Index - 527
eISSN - 1521-4095
pISSN - 0935-9648
DOI - 10.1002/adma.201802894
Subject(s) - photothermal therapy , materials science , photon upconversion , solar fuel , visible spectrum , solar energy , photocatalysis , nanotechnology , photon , photothermal effect , near infrared spectroscopy , optoelectronics , catalysis , optics , chemistry , physics , luminescence , ecology , biochemistry , biology
Utilization of diffusive solar energy through photocatalytic processes for environmental purification and fuel production has long been pursued. However, efficient capture of visible–near‐infrared (NIR) photons, especially for those with wavelengths longer than 600 nm, is a demanding quest in photocatalysis owing to their relatively low energy. In recent years, benefiting from the advances in photoactive material design, photocatalytic reaction system optimization, and new emerging mechanisms for long‐wavelength photon activation, increasing numbers of studies on the harnessing of visible–NIR light for solar‐to‐chemical energy conversion have been reported. Here, the aim is to comprehensively summarize the progress in this area. The main strategies of the long‐wavelength visible–NIR photon capture and the explicitly engineered material systems, i.e., narrow optical gap, photosensitizers, upconversion, and photothermal materials, are elaborated. In addition, the advances in long‐wavelength light‐driven photo‐ and photothermal‐catalytic environmental remediation and fuel production are discussed. It is anticipated that this review presents the forefront achievements in visible–NIR photon capture and at the same time promotes the development of novel visible–NIR photon harnessing catalysts toward efficient solar energy utilization.