Recent trends on perovskite materials and their applications in photocatalysis: a review

Exploring semiconductor materials with enhanced photocatalytic activity is essential for practical applications. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the photocatalytic reaction mechanisms. The discussion highlights recent progress in perovskite oxide materials for various environmental and energy applications, including H₂/O₂ production, organic pollutant degradation, heavy metal removal, radionuclide removal, CO₂ reduction, and N₂ fixation. The structural characteristics of perovskite oxides including titanates, tantalates, niobates, ferrites, and complex perovskite oxides are discussed, focusing on current strategies to enhance their photocatalytic activity. Furthermore, recent advances in the design and development of perovskite-based photocatalytic reactors are reviewed, emphasizing their potential for increased efficiency and practical implementation. This review aims to provide insights into the abilities, research gaps, future perspectives, and recommendations for further studies of perovskite oxide photocatalysts in addressing significant environmental and energy challenges.