Recent advances in wide spectral responsive and photothermal heterojunctions for photocatalytic pharmaceutical pollutant degradation and energy conversion

Solar light utilization in photocatalysis is generally regarded as one of the most potential answers to the world's mounting environmental and energy issues. It has been challenging to employ near infrared (NIR) component of spectrum as photocatalytic power, since its energy is lower than the band gap of viable semiconductors. During recent years many NIR harvesting hybrid photothermal materials have been developed and discovered for photocatalytic degradation of notorious pharmaceutical contaminants from aquatic environment and energy production. The wide spectral/solar and photo/photo-thermal synergies in environmental catalysis and clean energy production is a burgeoning field. The heterojunctions This review comprehensively summarizes the current advances in the material strategy and mechanism optimization of wide spectral responsive and photothermal heterojunctions for pharmaceutical pollutants remediation and hydrogen generation and CO₂ conversion. This review provides a sincere appraisal of advances in paradigm shift in designing of pan-spectral active heterojunctions as type-II, Z-scheme, p-n and S-scheme using ultra-low band gap semiconductors, defective semiconductors, plasmonic nanomaterials and photo-thermal responsive materials. Different strategies, including Ion doping, modification by quantum dots, up conversion materials and coupling with noble metals for efficient full spectrum active heterojunctions have been discussed. The outlook was put forward in terms of improving quantum efficiency, band match transformations for wide spectral heterojunctions, practical and large-scale applicability and future efforts should be devoted on development of advanced and cost-effective wide spectrum active heterojunctions for promoting the development of photocatalysis.