Selective Control and Characteristics of Water Oxidation and Dioxygen Reduction in Environmental Photo(electro)catalytic Systems

Employing semiconductor materials is a popular engineering method to harvest solar energy, which is widely investigated for photocatalysis (PC) and photoelectrocatalysis (PEC) that convert solar light to chemical energy. In particular, environmental photo(electro)catalysis has been extensively studied as a sustainable method for water treatment, air purification, and resource recovery. Environmental PC/PEC processes working in ambient conditions are initiated mainly through hole transfer to water (water oxidation) and electron transfer to dioxygen (O2 reduction) and the subsequent photoredox transformation of water and dioxygen serves as a base of various PC/PEC systems. Through the redox transformations, different products can be generated depending on the number of transferred electrons and holes. The single electron/hole transfer generates radical species and reactive oxygen species (ROS) which initiate the degradation/ transformation of various pollutants in water and air, while the multicharge transfer can generate energy-rich chemicals (e.g., H2, H2O2). Therefore, understanding the characteristics of the photoredox reactions of water and dioxygen on the semiconductor surface is critically important in controlling the selectivity and efficiency of photoconversion processes. In this Account, we describe various environmental PC/PEC conversions with a particular focus on how the phototransformation of dioxygen and water is related to the overall processes occurring on diverse semiconductor materials. The activation of water or dioxygen can be controlled by modifying the properties of semiconductors, changing the kind of counterpart half-reaction and the experimental conditions. If water can be used as a ubiquitous reductant under solar irradiation, many kinds of reductive transformations can be carried out under ambient environmental conditions. For example, various toxic oxyanions (or metal ions) can be reductively transformed to harmless or less harmful species or useful chemicals/fuels can be synthesized under ambient conditions if water can provide electrons and protons via solar water oxidation. On the other hand, dioxygen can turn into reactive oxygen species (ROS) as a versatile oxidant or to a chemical like H2O2. There should be many more possibilities of utilizing the photoconversion of water and dioxygen for environmentally significant purposes, which are yet to be further developed and demonstrated. In this Account, we highlight the recent strategies and the novel functional materials for effective activation of water and dioxygen in environmental PC/PEC systems. Design of environmentally functional PC/PEC systems should be based on better understanding of water and dioxygen activation.

Automated summary

The utilization of semiconductor materials for photocatalysis and photoelectrocatalysis has gained popularity in harvesting solar energy. Environmental photo(electro)catalysis, particularly in water treatment, air purification, and resource recovery, has been extensively studied. The activation of water and dioxygen on the semiconductor surface plays a crucial role in controlling the selectivity and efficiency of photoconversion processes, generating radical species and reactive oxygen species for degradation/transformation of pollutants or energy-rich chemicals. This Account highlights recent strategies and functional materials for the effective activation of water and dioxygen in environmental PC/PEC systems.