Heterogeneous Photocatalysis and Photoelectrocatalysis: From Unselective Abatement of Noxious Species to Selective Production of High-Value Chemicals.
Heterogeneous photocatalysis and photoelectrocatalysis have been considered as oxidation technologies to abate unselectively noxious species. This article focuses instead on the utilization of these methods for selective syntheses of organic molecules. Some promising reactions have been reported in the presence of various TiO2 samples and the important role played by the amorphous phase has been discussed. The low solubility of most of the organic compounds in water limits the utilization of photocatalysis. Dimethyl carbonate has been proposed as an alternative green organic solvent. The recovery of the products by coupling photocatalysis with pervaporation membrane technology seems to be a solution for future industrial applications. As far as photoelectrocatalysis is concerned, a decrease in recombination of the photogenerated pairs occurs, enhancing the rate of the oxidation reactions and the quantum yield. Another benefit is to avoid reaction(s) between the intermediates and the substrate, as anodic and cathodic reactions take place in different places.
†"Schiavello-Grillone" Photocatalysis Group, Dipartimento di Energia, ingegneria dell'Informazione e modelli Matematici (DEIM), University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, 90128 Palermo, Italy.
Vincenzo
V
Augugliaro
‡Dipartimento di Ingegneria Civile, Chimica, Ambientale e dei Materiali (DICAM), University of Bologna, via Terracini 28, 40131 Bologna, Italy.
Giovanni
G
Camera-Roda
†"Schiavello-Grillone" Photocatalysis Group, Dipartimento di Energia, ingegneria dell'Informazione e modelli Matematici (DEIM), University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, 90128 Palermo, Italy.
Vittorio
V
Loddo
§Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Institute Center for Water and Environment (iWater), Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, PO Box 54224, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Giovanni
G
Palmisano
†"Schiavello-Grillone" Photocatalysis Group, Dipartimento di Energia, ingegneria dell'Informazione e modelli Matematici (DEIM), University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, 90128 Palermo, Italy.
Leonardo
L
Palmisano
∥Instituto de Catálisis y Petroleoquímica, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC), C/Marie Curie 2, Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain.
Javier
J
Soria
⊥Kimya Bölümü, Fen-Edebiyat Fakültesi, Afyon Kocatepe Üniversitesi, Ahmet Necdet Sezer Kampüsü, 03200 Afyon, Turkey.
Sedat
S
Yurdakal