Photocatalysis: Mechanism, Classification and Basic Principles

Photocatalysis is a rapidly developing discipline, which is drawing more attention due to its multitude of advantages in comparison to traditional methods, mostly due to its affordable cost and potent effectiveness. Photocatalysis is a remarkable technique that has distinct uses. The unique method of photocatalysis can solve concerns associated with excessive energy usage and its environmental impact. Conventional semiconductors and novel photoelectronic materials, including 2D materials, quantum dots, and nanoscale plasmonic metal particles, have all been studied as photocatalytic materials to facilitate charge separation, charge transfer, and light absorption. This chapter discusses the fundamental concepts, classification and mechanism of photocatalytic reactions focusing on the parameters that govern them. Besides this, the most efficient photocatalytic materials, their mechanism, and their challenges are discussed. Addressing a variety of characteristics of those attributes, namely affordability, scalability, stability, and efficiency of photocatalytic materials have been assessed from kinetic and thermodynamic aspects.