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Askari N, Jamalzadeh M, Askari A, Liu N, Samali B, Sillanpaa M, Sheppard L, Li H, Dewil R. Unveiling the photocatalytic marvels: Recent advances in solar heterojunctions for environmental remediation and energy harvesting. J Environ Sci (China) 2025; 148:283-297. [PMID: 39095165 DOI: 10.1016/j.jes.2024.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024]
Abstract
In the quest for effective solutions to address Environ. Pollut. and meet the escalating energy demands, heterojunction photocatalysts have emerged as a captivating and versatile technology. These photocatalysts have garnered significant interest due to their wide-ranging applications, including wastewater treatment, air purification, CO2 capture, and hydrogen generation via water splitting. This technique harnesses the power of semiconductors, which are activated under light illumination, providing the necessary energy for catalytic reactions. With visible light constituting a substantial portion (46%) of the solar spectrum, the development of visible-light-driven semiconductors has become imperative. Heterojunction photocatalysts offer a promising strategy to overcome the limitations associated with activating semiconductors under visible light. In this comprehensive review, we present the recent advancements in the field of photocatalytic degradation of contaminants across diverse media, as well as the remarkable progress made in renewable energy production. Moreover, we delve into the crucial role played by various operating parameters in influencing the photocatalytic performance of heterojunction systems. Finally, we address emerging challenges and propose novel perspectives to provide valuable insights for future advancements in this dynamic research domain. By unraveling the potential of heterojunction photocatalysts, this review contributes to the broader understanding of their applications and paves the way for exciting avenues of exploration and innovation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Najmeh Askari
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Process and Environmental Technology Lab, KU Leuven, De Nayerlaan 5 Sint-Katelijne-Waver, 2860, Belgium.
| | | | - Aghil Askari
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, UMass Lowell, Lowell, MA 01851, USA
| | - Naiyun Liu
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Process and Environmental Technology Lab, KU Leuven, De Nayerlaan 5 Sint-Katelijne-Waver, 2860, Belgium; Institute for Energy Research, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, 212013, China.
| | - Bijan Samali
- Centre for Infrastructure Engineering, Western Sydney University, Penrith NSW, 2751, Australia
| | - Mika Sillanpaa
- Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 10, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Leigh Sheppard
- Solar Energy Technologies Research Group, Western Sydney University, Penrith NSW, 2751, Australia
| | - Haitao Li
- Institute for Energy Research, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, 212013, China.
| | - Raf Dewil
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Process and Environmental Technology Lab, KU Leuven, De Nayerlaan 5 Sint-Katelijne-Waver, 2860, Belgium; Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PJ, United Kingdom.
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Witkowski H, Jarosławski J, Szkop A, Chilmon K, Kalinowski M, Jackiewicz-Rek W. The Potential Risk of Nanoparticulate Release from Photocatalytic Pavement Concrete Surface Due to a Simulated Abrasion Load-An Experimental Study. MATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 17:3022. [PMID: 38930390 PMCID: PMC11205488 DOI: 10.3390/ma17123022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2024] [Revised: 06/06/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
The risk of the releasing of nanometric particles from construction materials with nanometric components might be one of the biggest threats to further development of them. One of the possible ingress routes to human organisms is the respiratory system. Therefore, it is crucial to determine the risk of emission of nanometric particles during material usage. In the presented paper, abrasion of mortar samples with nanometric TiO2 was investigated. A special abrasion test setup was developed to reflect everyday abrasion of the concrete surface of pavements. In the study, three TiO2-modifed mortar series (and respective reference series) underwent the developed test protocol and the grains were mobilized from their surface due to the applied load analyzed (granulation, morphology, and chemical composition). For a comparative analysis, an abrasion parameter was developed. Based on the obtained results, the modification of cementitious composites with nanometric TiO2 contributed to a reduction in the emission of aerosols and, therefore, confirmed the compatibility between TiO2 and cement matrix.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hubert Witkowski
- Faculty of Civil Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, 00-637 Warsaw, Poland; (K.C.); (M.K.); (W.J.-R.)
| | - Janusz Jarosławski
- Institute of Geophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, 01-452 Warsaw, Poland; (J.J.); (A.S.)
| | - Artur Szkop
- Institute of Geophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, 01-452 Warsaw, Poland; (J.J.); (A.S.)
| | - Karol Chilmon
- Faculty of Civil Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, 00-637 Warsaw, Poland; (K.C.); (M.K.); (W.J.-R.)
| | - Maciej Kalinowski
- Faculty of Civil Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, 00-637 Warsaw, Poland; (K.C.); (M.K.); (W.J.-R.)
| | - Wioletta Jackiewicz-Rek
- Faculty of Civil Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, 00-637 Warsaw, Poland; (K.C.); (M.K.); (W.J.-R.)
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More than One Century of History for Photocatalysis, from Past, Present and Future Perspectives. Catalysts 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/catal12121572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/07/2022] Open
Abstract
In this review, we analyzed the history and the past and present trends in photocatalysis research, trying to outline possible scenarios for the future in the medium term. The in-depth analysis of the literature reported here—from a mere bibliometric point of view—allowed us to divide the history of photocatalysis into four different periods characterized by different maturity of the topic and different bibliometric features. The turn of the 20th century saw an explosion in scientific production, which is still continuing now and has reached more than 15,000 papers published each year. Research interest is still growing significantly, and the analysis of different keywords suggests that such growth is substantial and not merely due to “publish or perish” behavior. The analysis of the most-investigated topics in the field of photocatalysis highlighted that, during its history, the focus of the research moved from inorganic oxides to carbon and hybrid materials. Concomitantly, the investigation of the “geography” of photocatalysis allowed us to underline its evolution over the years, with the repositioning of its center of mass from the Atlantic Ocean (USA and Europe) to Asia (China and India). Photocatalysis is active as never before but still awaiting major breakthroughs, which would allow a much broader technological and commercial output. Without such breakthroughs in this decade, the growth in scientific interest could level out or even decrease.
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