Copyright © 2008 M. S. A. Abdel-Mottaleb et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
This special issue briefly reviews some trends and factors that
have impacted heterogeneous photocatalysis with next generation nanophotocatalysts that could absorb and make use of both
UV (290–400 nm) and visible (400–700 nm) sunlight to enhance process
efficiencies, along with some issues of current
debate in the fundamental understanding of the science that underpins the
field. Preparative methods and some characteristics features of doped as well as its environmental applications are presented and described. The next
generation of doped photocatalysts should enhance overall
process photoefficiencies in many cases, since doped s absorb a
greater quantity of solar radiation. The fundamental science that underpins
heterogeneous photocatalysis with the next generation of photocatalysts is a
rich playing field ripe for further exploration.
Different articles presented in this special issue have shown that
modification of by doping of different atoms, both as cations and anions, can
improve photoactivity of . One reason is slowing down electron/hole recombination rate. The
presence of certain dopants can increase the concentration of organic
pollutants on the surface of facilitating the contact of the light-generated reactive species
with the organic molecules. Doped can extend the absorption of the light to the visible region and
makes the photocatalysts active under visible-light irradiation.
M. S. A. Abdel-Mottaleb
V. Augugliaro
L. Palmisano