Active photocatalysts design

In Part I the fundamental aspects of photocatalysis are described. Photoelectrochemical processes at semiconductors are the most important basics for all photocatalytic reactions (Chapter 2). Design, preparation and characterization of active photocatalysts have been an important research subject,... 

This review has been written in order to clarify fundamental aspects of photocatalysis, an important subject in inorganic and material chemistry, not to present a list of studies on photocatalysis reported so far, since it seems rather difficult to make a complete review by introducing all or a large part of the reported studies on photocatalysis of relatively long history. This review is based on the author s experience in studies on photocatalysis and topics are limited to so-called semiconductor photocatalysis definition and examples of photocatalysis, its principle and kinetics, visible light-induced photocatalysis, and design of active photocatalysts are discussed in detail. 

PHOTOCATALYSIS BY INORGANIC SOLID MATERIALS 421 VI. Design of Active Photocatalysts... 

It has been shown that the "sol-gel method" is an effective and fascinating way to design highly active photocatalysts [4-6]. The present study deals with the preparation of Ti/Si binary oxide photocatalysts by the sol-gel method and the relationship between the local structure of the titanium oxide species and its photocatalytic properties in the photoreduction of CO2 with H2O at 328 K. 

The protons/electrons produced in water oxidation at a photoanode side of a PEC device could be used (on the cathode side) to reduce C02 to alcohols/hydrocarbons (CH4, CH30H, HC00H, etc.). In this way, an artificial leaf (photosynthesis) device could be developed [11]. While nanocarbon materials containing iron or other metal particles show interesting properties in this C02 reduction [106], it is beyond the scope of this chapter to discuss this reaction here. It is worthwhile, however, to mention how nanocarbon materials can be critical elements to design both anode and cathode in advanced PEC solar cells. Nanocarbons have also been successfully used for developing photocatalysts active in the reduction of C02 with water [107]. 

Design, Preparation and Characterization of Highly Active Metal Oxide Photocatalysts... 

There are several photocatalysts mimicking hydrogenase activity that are not based on metalloporphyrin systems. Among them there are mixed-valence complexes of rhodium or iridium, [41] as well as complex systems encompassing photosensitizers (eg ruthenium complexes) attached to a catalytic bimetallic centre [43], The design of more sophisticated systems approaches that of photosynthetic processes [44],... 

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