Photocatalysis for removal of environmental pollutants and fuel production: a review

Water pollution and fossil fuels are major issues in the context of climate change. Photocatalysis research is rising to develop green technologies for the remediation of pollutants and for energy production. Photocatalysis converts the light energy as photons into chemical energy using semiconducting materials. Different methods are utilised to synthesise these photocatalytic materials. Metal and coupled metal frameworks are applied for the production of photocatalytic materials. Here we review the synthesis and applications of photocatalysts for environmental decontamination and for production of biodiesel, methanol and hydrogen. Pollutants include dyes, pesticides, herbicides, phenols and antibiotics.