Recent Advances in Phase-Engineered Photocatalysts: Classification and Diversified Applications

Phase engineering is an emerging strategy for tuning the electronic states and catalytic functions of nanomaterials. Great interest has recently been captured by phase-engineered photocatalysts, including the unconventional phase, amorphous phase, and heterophase. Phase engineering of photocatalytic materials (including semiconductors and cocatalysts) can effectively affect the light absorption range, charge separation efficiency, or surface redox reactivity, resulting in different catalytic behavior. The applications for phase-engineered photocatalysts are widely reported, for example, hydrogen evolution, oxygen evolution, CO2 reduction, and organic pollutant removal. This review will firstly provide a critical insight into the classification of phase engineering for photocatalysis. Then, the state-of-the-art development of phase engineering toward photocatalytic reactions will be presented, focusing on the synthesis and characterization methodologies for unique phase structure and the correlation between phase structure and photocatalytic performance. Finally, personal understanding of the current opportunities and challenges of phase engineering for photocatalysis will also be provided.

Automated summary

Phase engineering is a novel strategy for modulating the electronic states and catalytic functions of nanomaterials. Recently, there has been great interest in phase-engineered photocatalysts, including unconventional, amorphous, and heterophase phases. By manipulating the phase structure of photocatalytic materials, such as semiconductors and cocatalysts, the light absorption range, charge separation efficiency, and surface redox reactivity can be effectively controlled, leading to different catalytic behaviors. This review provides critical insights into the classification of phase engineering for photocatalysis and discusses the state-of-the-art development, synthesis and characterization methodologies, as well as the correlation between phase structure and photocatalytic performance. The opportunities and challenges in phase engineering for photocatalysis are also discussed.