Facet engineering of semiconductors for boosting photo-charge separation in solar fuel production

Tian Liu; Lu Liu; Zhi-Yan Guo; Dong-Feng Liu; Liang-Liang Jiang; Kim Meow Liew; Wen-Wei Li

Energy Reviews (Mar 2025)

Facet engineering of semiconductors for boosting photo-charge separation in solar fuel production

Tian Liu,
Lu Liu,
Zhi-Yan Guo,
Dong-Feng Liu,
Liang-Liang Jiang,
Kim Meow Liew,
Wen-Wei Li

Affiliations

Tian Liu: CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China; Sustainable Energy and Environmental Materials Innovation Center, Suzhou Institute for Advanced Research, USTC, Suzhou, 215123, China
Lu Liu: CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China
Zhi-Yan Guo: CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China; Sustainable Energy and Environmental Materials Innovation Center, Suzhou Institute for Advanced Research, USTC, Suzhou, 215123, China
Dong-Feng Liu: CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China; Corresponding author.
Liang-Liang Jiang: Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, The University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Corresponding author.
Kim Meow Liew: Sustainable Energy and Environmental Materials Innovation Center, Suzhou Institute for Advanced Research, USTC, Suzhou, 215123, China; Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, SAR 999077, Hong Kong
Wen-Wei Li: CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China; Sustainable Energy and Environmental Materials Innovation Center, Suzhou Institute for Advanced Research, USTC, Suzhou, 215123, China; Corresponding author. CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 4, no. 1
p. 100110

Abstract

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Photocatalysis promises green production of chemicals by using the inexhaustible solar energy, but the low photocatalytic activity of most semiconductors due to charge recombination remains a key barrier to their application. Recently, facet engineering of single semiconductor particles has emerged as an effective strategy to precisely tune the energetic structure, thereby lowering the charge recombination and enhance solar fuel production. Multiple approaches for facet engineering have been developed to construct efficient photocatalysts. In this review, the fundamental principles and the common facet-engineering approaches for improving the photo-charge separation and solar fuel production of semiconductors are summarized, focusing on how the various faceted particles modification strategies tune the inbuilt electric field and reaction kinetics. Additionally, the challenges and future trends in development of facet-engineered photocatalysts were discussed.

Published in Energy Reviews

ISSN: 2772-9702 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Technology; Science: Science (General)
Website: https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/energy-reviews

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