Progress in Visible-Light Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production by Dye Sensitization

Dye sensitization is an important strategy for broadening the excitation wavelength range of wideband-gap photocatalysts to use visible light from the sun. In this paper, the primary principle of dye-sensitized water splitting for hydrogen production was introduced, and the research progress in dye sensitizers, sensitized matrixes or supporters, the interaction between dyes and matrixes, co-catalysts for hydrogen evolution, and sacrificial electron donors were all reviewed. Moreover, the pathways of charge transmission and stability issues in dye-sensitized systems were discussed.