TY - JOUR
T1 - Graphene/inorganic nanocomposites
T2 - Evolving photocatalysts for solar energy conversion for environmental remediation
AU - Khan, Mujeeb
AU - Assal, Mohamed E.
AU - Tahir, Muhammad Nawaz
AU - Khan, Majad
AU - Ashraf, Muhammad
AU - Hatshan, Mohammad Rafe
AU - Khan, Merajuddin
AU - Varala, Ravi
AU - Badawi, Nujud Mohammed
AU - Adil, Syed Farooq
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 The Authors
PY - 2022/11
Y1 - 2022/11
N2 - Current energy crisis and environmental issues, including depletion of fossil fuels, rapid industrialization, and undesired CO2 emission resulting in global warming has created havoc for the global population and significantly affected the quality of life. In this scenario the environmental problems in the forefront of research priorities. Development of renewable energy resources particularly the efficient conversion of solar light to sustainable energy is crucial in addressing environmental problems. In this regard, the synthesis of semiconductors-based photocatalysts has emerged as an effective tool for different photocatalytic applications and environmental remediation. Among different photocatalyst options available, graphene and graphene derivatives such as, graphene oxide (GO), highly reduced graphene oxide (HRG), and doped graphene (N, S, P, B-HRG) have become rising stars on the horizon of semiconductors-based photocatalytic applications. Graphene is a single layer of graphite consisting of a unique planar structure, high conductivity, greater electron mobility, and significantly very high specific surface area. Besides, the recent advancements in synthetic approaches have led to the cost-effective production of graphene-based materials on a large-scale. Therefore, graphene-based materials have gained considerable recognition for the production of semiconducting photocatalysts involving other semiconducting materials. The graphene-based semiconductors photocatalysts surpasses electron-holes pairs recombination rate and lowers the energy band gap by tailoring the valence band (VB) and conduction band (CB) leading to the enhanced photocatalytic performance of hybrid photocatalysts. Herein, we have summarized the latest developments in designing and fabrication of graphene-based semiconducting photocatalysts using a variety of commonly applied methods such as, post-deposition methods, in-situ binding methods, hydrothermal and/or solvothermal approaches. In addition, we will discuss the photocatalytic properties of the resulting graphene-based hybrid materials for various environmental remediation processes such as; (i) clean H2 fuel production, photocatalytic (ii) pollutants degradation, (iii) photo-redox organic transformation and (iv) photo-induced CO2 reduction. On the whole, by the inclusion of more than 300 references, this review possibly covered in detail the aspects of graphene-based semiconductor photocatalysts for environmental remediation processes. Finally, the review will conclude a short summary and discussion about future perspectives, challenges and new directions in these emerging areas of research.
AB - Current energy crisis and environmental issues, including depletion of fossil fuels, rapid industrialization, and undesired CO2 emission resulting in global warming has created havoc for the global population and significantly affected the quality of life. In this scenario the environmental problems in the forefront of research priorities. Development of renewable energy resources particularly the efficient conversion of solar light to sustainable energy is crucial in addressing environmental problems. In this regard, the synthesis of semiconductors-based photocatalysts has emerged as an effective tool for different photocatalytic applications and environmental remediation. Among different photocatalyst options available, graphene and graphene derivatives such as, graphene oxide (GO), highly reduced graphene oxide (HRG), and doped graphene (N, S, P, B-HRG) have become rising stars on the horizon of semiconductors-based photocatalytic applications. Graphene is a single layer of graphite consisting of a unique planar structure, high conductivity, greater electron mobility, and significantly very high specific surface area. Besides, the recent advancements in synthetic approaches have led to the cost-effective production of graphene-based materials on a large-scale. Therefore, graphene-based materials have gained considerable recognition for the production of semiconducting photocatalysts involving other semiconducting materials. The graphene-based semiconductors photocatalysts surpasses electron-holes pairs recombination rate and lowers the energy band gap by tailoring the valence band (VB) and conduction band (CB) leading to the enhanced photocatalytic performance of hybrid photocatalysts. Herein, we have summarized the latest developments in designing and fabrication of graphene-based semiconducting photocatalysts using a variety of commonly applied methods such as, post-deposition methods, in-situ binding methods, hydrothermal and/or solvothermal approaches. In addition, we will discuss the photocatalytic properties of the resulting graphene-based hybrid materials for various environmental remediation processes such as; (i) clean H2 fuel production, photocatalytic (ii) pollutants degradation, (iii) photo-redox organic transformation and (iv) photo-induced CO2 reduction. On the whole, by the inclusion of more than 300 references, this review possibly covered in detail the aspects of graphene-based semiconductor photocatalysts for environmental remediation processes. Finally, the review will conclude a short summary and discussion about future perspectives, challenges and new directions in these emerging areas of research.
KW - Environmental remediation
KW - Graphene
KW - Nanocomposites
KW - Photocatalysts
KW - Solar energy
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85139361337&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jscs.2022.101544
DO - 10.1016/j.jscs.2022.101544
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85139361337
SN - 1319-6103
VL - 26
JO - Journal of Saudi Chemical Society
JF - Journal of Saudi Chemical Society
IS - 6
M1 - 101544
ER -