Recent Progress in Semiconductor-Based Nanocomposite Photocatalysts for Solar-to-Chemical Energy Conversion

Photocatalysis, which can directly convert solar energy into chemical energy and simultaneously accomplish solar energy conversion and storage objectives, is regarded as one of the most promising strategies to address the energy supply and environmental degradation issues. In recent decades, great efforts and encouraging achievements are performed in the field of semiconductor photocatalysts. Herein, this progress report summarizes the recent investigations and focuses on the advanced semiconductor-based nanocomposite materials and structures and the novel mechanisms for the photocatalytic solar-to-chemical energy conversion. It begins with discussing basic principles for the establishment of an efficient photocatalysis system and illustrating recent studies on improving the elementary processes of photocatalysis, i.e., photophysics and surface/interface chemistry. Then, it demonstrates how the fundamental principles are utilized to enhance the important energy-conversion-related reactions, such as light-driven water splitting, CO2 reduction, nitrogen fixation, organic photosynthesis, etc. Finally, the report concludes the topic on semiconductor-based nanocomposite photocatalysis along with identifying crucial issues in fundamental studies, challenges in large-scale industrializations, and perspectives in related research fields.