Water Splitting Using Semiconductor Photocatalysts

Abstract

Solar water splitting using semiconductor photocatalysts to produce hydrogen is one of the most promising and economically feasible technologies for conversion and storage of solar energy to address the energy crisis and environment problems. In the past few decades, semiconductor-based photocatalytic water splitting has attracted extensive attentions with considerable efforts made to construct efficient overall water splitting (OWS) systems. In this section, we will introduce the basic concepts of semiconductor-based photocatalytic water splitting system, summarize the main progress from the viewpoint of key issues of photocatalysis: light-absorbing, photogenerated charge separation, and surface catalytic reactions, and give a short review on how to assemble OWS using particulate photocatalysts. Finally we will outline challenges and potential developing directions of photocatalytic water splitting for solar energy conversion.