Metal-based semiconductor nanomaterials for photocatalysis

In order to support the future hydrogen economy, photocatalytic water splitting technology, based on nanosized semiconductors, has significant potential for the production of hydrogen using solar energy with a low environmental impact.Despite the numerous attempts to prepare materials able to efficiently use solar energy during the past decades, the solar-to-hydrogen energy conversion efficiency is currently far too low for the technology to be economically profitable.This chapter depicts the basics of photocatalytic water splitting and organic photoreforming and surveys metal-based semiconductor nanomaterials (i.e., metal oxides, metal (oxy)sulfides and metal (oxy)nitrides, etc.) used as photocatalysts for hydrogen production in aqueous solution under UVA or visible radiation. Special attention is paid to recent developments for enhancing the effectiveness of the most common metal-based semiconductors. The main experimental factors affecting performance and design of photocatalytic materials are critically discussed.