Thin-Layered Photocatalysts

Semiconductor photocatalysis, a green and sustainable technology, is of great significance for solving environmental pollution and energy shortages. However, the common problems of inefficient light harvesting, rapid recombination of electron-hole pairs, and low surface reactive reaction sites for photocatalysts urgently need to be solved. In this regard, thin-layered photocatalysts are considered to be one of the most promising candidates for addressing these issues, due to their unique surface and electronic properties. In this review, the various strategies for constructing thin-layered photocatalysts are summarized, and emphasis is given to approaches for optimizing the photocatalytic performance of the thin-layered materials, which can be classified into surface engineering and junction construction. In addition, the photocatalytic applications of thin-layered materials, i.e., water splitting, CO2 reduction, nitrogen fixation, and molecule oxygen activation, are summarized. Finally, based on current achievements in thin-layered photocatalysts, their future development and challenges are discussed.