Nanostructured Photocatalysts for Energy Conversion and Environmental Applications: Second Edition

Dear Colleagues,

Sunlight is the most abundant energy source on Earth; yet, it is still underutilized in chemical synthesis. The best use of sunlight, currently, is in the field of photovoltaics, but the energy converted must be used immediately or stored in batteries.

If sunlight were used for the photocatalytic production of hydrogen by water splitting, then the converted energy would be stored in hydrogen molecules and could be stored indefinitely or transported worldwide. Photocatalysis for energy conversion is not limited to hydrogen production; it can also be applied in the conversion of any substance to a fuel, with the conversion of CO₂ to hydrocarbons representing a goal of this field.

Photocatalysis can also be used in environmental remediation strategies, such as the destruction of airborne pollutants, the breakdown of industrial effluents, or the mineralization of toxic products in waterways.

With the development of high-energy LEDs with low power consumption, photocatalytic reactions may not even require sunlight for them to be more economically advantageous than such typical industrial processes as the use of high temperatures or pressures.

This Special Issue is focused on developments in photocatalysts and photocatalysis for energy conversion and environmental remediation. Submissions focused on research that addresses how to improve the efficiency and light absorption or reduce the cost of photocatalysts are welcome, along with those examining the application of photocatalysis in the production of fuels such as hydrogen or methanol, or the destruction of contaminants such as pesticides, NO_x, or perfluorinated substances.

Dr. Cameron Shearer
Guest Editor

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