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Characterization Methodology and Activity Evaluation of Solar-Driven Catalysts for Environmental Remediation

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Abstract

Solar-driven photocatalysis mediated by semiconductors has been rapidly developed as a green and sustainable technology for environmental remediation. Continuous efforts have been devoted to novel semiconducting photocatalysts to boost the efficiency of the photocatalytic system. However, controversy has widely existed in materials characterization and photocatalytic activity evaluation. This review overviews the recent advances in characterization methodology and photocatalytic activity evaluation of solar-driven catalysts (SDCs) for environmental remediation. After a general and brief introduction of different SDCs, the compositional, structural, and optical characterizations of SDCs are summarized. Moreover, the characterization methods and challenges in the doped and coupled SDCs are discussed. Finally, the challenges in the evaluation of current evaluation methods for the photocatalytic activity of SDCs are highlighted.

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Acknowledgements

This work is supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 52076074 and 51772094).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Beijing Key Laboratory of Novel Thin Film Solar Cells, North China Electric Power University, Beijing, 102206, China

    Mina Guli, Elsayed T. Helmy, Gui Lu & Jia Hong Pan

  2. Environment Division, National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, KayetBey, Elanfoushy, Alexandria, Egypt

    Elsayed T. Helmy

  3. Department of Chemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU) München, Butenandtstraße 1 11, 81377, Munich, Germany

    Jenny Schneider

  4. School of Energy, Power and Mechanical Engineering, North China Electric Power University, Beijing, 102206, China

    Gui Lu

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  1. Mina Guli
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  2. Elsayed T. Helmy
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  3. Jenny Schneider
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  4. Gui Lu
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Correspondence to Gui Lu or Jia Hong Pan.

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Guli, M., Helmy, E.T., Schneider, J. et al. Characterization Methodology and Activity Evaluation of Solar-Driven Catalysts for Environmental Remediation. Top Curr Chem (Z) 380, 39 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41061-022-00394-6

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