Plasmonic Solar Energy Harvesting by ZnO Nanostructures and Their Composite Interfaces: A Review on Fundamentals, Recent Advances, and Applications

Zinc oxide is one of the inexpensive semiconductors with rich electronic and optical properties. It is studied in energy applications for a long time. The wide bandgap of ZnO either needs structural change or sensitizing via quantum dots, dyes, or metallic nanoparticles (through the plasmonic effect) to absorb visible light for applications in solar energy harvesting devices. This review provides a fundamental insight of plasmonic visible light harvesting by ZnO and an account of recent advances in solar photovoltaic, photoelectrochemical water splitting, and other photoredox activities, such as water quality enhancement and CO2 reduction. Ultraviolet light‐sensitive zinc oxide by its rich optoelectronic properties is a potential candidate in energy and environmental solutions, including solar photovoltaic, photocatalytic water splitting, water decontamination, CO2 reduction, etc. This semiconducting material can harvest visible light through novel plasmonic nanostructures.