Exploring Advanced Functional Materials in Photocatalysis and Their Role in Sustainable Technologies

A special issue of Nanomaterials (ISSN 2079-4991).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2026 | Viewed by 955

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
The Edward S. Rogers Sr. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G4, Canada
Interests: advanced materials; plasmonics; photocatalysis; green hydrogen; CO2 photoreduction

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Guest Editor
Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of North Carolina and North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
Interests: biosensor; 3D printing; microneedles technology; personalized healthcare; quantum dots; nanomaterials
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The exploration of functionalized materials and their nanostructures in the field of photocatalysis has received increased interest over the past decade. Engineered nanostructures, including advanced functional materials, metamaterials, and plasmonic materials, exhibit unique optical and electronic properties, empowering enhanced interactions between light and matter. Their development represents a significant advancement in materials science, particularly for applications aimed at environmental sustainability and energy conversion.

This Special Issue aims to explore the integration of engineered materials in photocatalysis, emphasizing their ability to improve light absorption and reaction rates in photocatalytic processes such as water splitting to generate green hydrogen and CO2 photoreduction. We encourage submissions that showcase innovative designs, synthesis methods, and characterization techniques related to advanced materials and their photocatalytic applications. Research demonstrating novel nanoscale structures and their impact on photocatalytic efficiency will be particularly valuable.

We invite the submission of original research articles, reviews, and short communications that discuss theoretical insights, experimental findings, and advancements in the field of artificially engineered materials for photocatalysis. Topics may include hybrid systems, environmental applications, and the exploration of new material combinations that enhance photocatalytic performance.

Dr. Narendra Chaulagain
Dr. Sachin Kadian
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • advanced materials
  • plasmonics
  • nanostructures
  • light harvesting
  • photocatalysis

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

20 pages, 5554 KB  
Article
CaCO3/BiO2−x/CdS Composite with Rapid Photocatalytic Reduction of Cr(VI) Under Visible Light
by Chao Liu, Chongxue Huang, Chaohao Hu, Dianhui Wang, Yan Zhong and Chengying Tang
Nanomaterials 2026, 16(6), 376; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano16060376 - 21 Mar 2026
Viewed by 465
Abstract
CaCO3/BiO2−x/CdS (CCO/BO/CS) ternary composite photocatalyst was synthesized via a hydrothermal method combined with chemical precipitation, and its performance in the photocatalytic reduction of hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) under visible light was systematically investigated. Compared with pure BiO2−x, CdS, [...] Read more.
CaCO3/BiO2−x/CdS (CCO/BO/CS) ternary composite photocatalyst was synthesized via a hydrothermal method combined with chemical precipitation, and its performance in the photocatalytic reduction of hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) under visible light was systematically investigated. Compared with pure BiO2−x, CdS, and binary BiO2−x/CdS composites, the CCO/BO/CS system exhibited significantly enhanced Cr(VI) reduction activity. Specifically, the CCO/BO/CS (0.75:1:2 wt) composite achieved a Cr(VI) reduction efficiency of 94.53% within 30 min of visible light irradiation—approximately 94.6 times and 6.1 times higher than those of BiO2−x (1.0%) and CdS (15.52%). Photoelectrochemical and trapping experiments revealed that the enhanced performance stems from improved charge separation, accelerated interfacial electron transfer, and the promotional role of CaCO3—likely through lattice distortion—rather than direct photocatalytic participation. This study highlights the innovation of incorporating low-cost, eco-friendly calcium carbonate into semiconductor-based photocatalysts to induce lattice distortion for enhanced charge separation, as an effective strategy for improving the reduction efficiency of Cr(VI). Full article
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