Issue 32, 2020

Controlled colloidal metal nanoparticles and nanoclusters: recent applications as cocatalysts for improving photocatalytic water-splitting activity

Abstract

In recent years, research on the use of metal nanoparticles (NPs) and nanoclusters (NCs) synthesized by liquid-phase reduction in water-splitting photocatalysts has been actively conducted. Water-splitting photocatalysts have been attracting attention because they can produce hydrogen (H2), which is attractive as a next-generation energy source, from solar energy and water. However, further improvement of water-splitting photocatalysts is required for their practical use in society. Recent studies have demonstrated that the active sites (cocatalysts) of water-splitting photocatalysts can be controlled using the advanced NP/NC syntheses and structural modulation techniques established in the fields of colloid, NP, and NC chemistry and thereby highly active water-splitting photocatalysts can be developed. If such research progresses further, it is expected that a transition to a new society using H2 as the main energy source will become possible. However, such applied research has just started and examples of such research are currently limited. The purpose of this review is to introduce the importance of controlled colloidal NPs/NCs in research on water-splitting photocatalysis to readers by summarizing the existing research. We hope that this review will raise interest in the application of metal NPs/NCs in water-splitting photocatalysis and that a society actively addressing energy and environmental problems will become a reality as soon as possible.

Graphical abstract: Controlled colloidal metal nanoparticles and nanoclusters: recent applications as cocatalysts for improving photocatalytic water-splitting activity

Article information

Article type
Review Article
Submitted
07 May 2020
Accepted
22 Jul 2020
First published
27 Jul 2020
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY license

J. Mater. Chem. A, 2020,8, 16081-16113

Controlled colloidal metal nanoparticles and nanoclusters: recent applications as cocatalysts for improving photocatalytic water-splitting activity

T. Kawawaki, Y. Mori, K. Wakamatsu, S. Ozaki, M. Kawachi, S. Hossain and Y. Negishi, J. Mater. Chem. A, 2020, 8, 16081 DOI: 10.1039/D0TA04750C

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licence. You can use material from this article in other publications without requesting further permissions from the RSC, provided that the correct acknowledgement is given.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements