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Advanced Materials for Photocatalytic and Photoelectrocatalytic Water-Splitting

A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Materials Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2025 | Viewed by 3075

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Quantum System Engineering, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju-si 54896, Republic of Korea
Interests: heterogeneous catalysis; nano-materials; water splitting
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue focuses on recent advances in materials design for photocatalytic and photoelectrocatalytic water splitting. Emphasis is placed on novel semiconductors, hybrid composites, and heterostructures that enhance light absorption, charge separation, and catalytic efficiency. Potential topics include synthesis strategies, mechanistic insights, and the performance optimization of materials for hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions. Contributions addressing solar-to-hydrogen conversion, band engineering, and innovative catalyst-support architectures are encouraged, as well as those promoting sustainable energy solutions through next-generation water-splitting technologies.

Dr. Lagnamayee Mohapatra
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • photocatalysis
  • photoelectrocatalysis
  • water splitting
  • bandgap engineering
  • semiconductor materials
  • visible-light-driven catalysis

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 4017 KB  
Article
Srtio3-Based Composites for Photocatalytic Panels in Solar Hydrogen Production
by Aibol Baratov, Alexey Dikov, Lyubov Dikova, Tamara Aldabergenova, Timur Zholdybayev, Egor Maksimkin and Kira V. Tsay
Molecules 2025, 30(18), 3699; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30183699 - 11 Sep 2025
Viewed by 396
Abstract
This study investigates photocatalytic cells based on cocatalyst-loaded SrTiO3:Al and nano-SiO2 as a porous binder, immobilized on frosted glass. Comprehensive analysis confirmed the successful incorporation of aluminum into SrTiO3, increasing oxygen vacancy concentration and enhancing charge transfer. The [...] Read more.
This study investigates photocatalytic cells based on cocatalyst-loaded SrTiO3:Al and nano-SiO2 as a porous binder, immobilized on frosted glass. Comprehensive analysis confirmed the successful incorporation of aluminum into SrTiO3, increasing oxygen vacancy concentration and enhancing charge transfer. The deposition of RhCr2O3 and CoOOH cocatalysts significantly improved photocatalytic activity, boosting hydrogen and oxygen evolution rates to 3.8401 and 1.6319 mmol g−1 h−1, respectively. The introduction of nano-SiO2 increased hardness (0.23–0.25 GPa) and Young’s modulus (5.27–5.40 GPa), reinforcing structural integrity. The development of efficient photocatalytic panels requires a multifaceted strategy that considers chemical, mechanical, and optical properties together with stability, durability, and energy efficiency. Future research should focus on optimizing these key parameters to enhance system performance for industrial applications. Full article
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15 pages, 5228 KB  
Article
Construction of Hollow TiO2/ZnS Heterojunction Photocatalysts for Highly Enhanced Photodegradation of Tetracycline Hydrochloride
by Ying Zhang, Anhui Su, Yuqin Ding, Yuhan Wu, Yapeng Tan and Jianguo Chang
Molecules 2025, 30(17), 3644; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30173644 - 7 Sep 2025
Viewed by 1430
Abstract
TiO2 photocatalysts exhibit great potential in solar fuel production and environmental remediation, yet their practical applications are often hindered by high electron-hole recombination rates. This study presents a novel strategy for fabricating hollow anatase TiO2-modified ZnS heterostructures (TiO2/ZnS) [...] Read more.
TiO2 photocatalysts exhibit great potential in solar fuel production and environmental remediation, yet their practical applications are often hindered by high electron-hole recombination rates. This study presents a novel strategy for fabricating hollow anatase TiO2-modified ZnS heterostructures (TiO2/ZnS) via a simple hydrothermal method. The heterostructure effectively combines the high electron mobility of ZnS, which facilitates rapid photogenerated electron transfer, with the high specific surface area of hollow TiO2, which enhances pollutant adsorption. As a result, TiO2/ZnS demonstrates superior tetracycline degradation efficiency due to optimized charge separation and improved accessibility to reactive sites, compared to pristine TiO2 and ZnS. Furthermore, the enhanced photocatalytic activity is attributed to efficient charge separation facilitated by Type-II heterojunctions between ZnS and anatase TiO2. Cycling tests reveal that TiO2/ZnS retains over 94% of its activity after 5 cycles. This work offers a versatile approach for stabilizing metal oxides through heterostructure engineering, with significant implications for scalable environmental catalysis. Full article
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