Acta Phys. -Chim. Sin. ›› 2025, Vol. 41 ›› Issue (7): 100071.doi: 10.1016/j.actphy.2025.100071

Special Issue: S-scheme heterojunction in photocatalysis

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Hollow structured photocatalysts

Fangxuan Liu1, Ziyan Liu1, Guowei Zhou1,*(), Tingting Gao1, Wenyu Liu3, Bin Sun1,2,*()   

  1. 1 Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals in Universities of Shandong, Jinan Engineering Laboratory for Multi-Scale Functional Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250353, Shandong Province, China
    2 Shandong Laboratory of Advanced Materials and Green Manufacturing at Yantai, Yantai 264006, Shandong Province, China
    3 Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250353, Shandong Province, China
  • Received:2025-01-25 Revised:2025-02-19 Accepted:2025-02-24 Published:2025-05-22
  • Contact: Email: gwzhou@qlu.edu.cn (Guowei Zhou)binsun@qlu.edu.cn (Bin Sun)
  • Supported by:
    National Natural Science Foundation of China(52202102); National Natural Science Foundation of China(52472215); National Natural Science Foundation of China(52202007); the National Natural Science Foundation of China(51972180); the Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province(ZR2019BB030); the Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province(ZR2021QE282); Key Research & Development Project of Shandong Province(2024TSGC0222); Science and Technology Support Plan for Youth Innovation of Colleges and Universities of Shandong Province(2021KJ056); Science Fund of Shandong Laboratory of Advanced Materials and Green Manufacturing at Yantai(AMGM2023F13); Science Fund of Shandong Laboratory of Advanced Materials and Green Manufacturing at Yantai(AMGM2021F05); Science, Education and Industry Integration Innovation Pilot Project from Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences)(2024ZDZX13)

Abstract:

Photocatalysis technology, utilizing solar-driven reactions, is poised to emerge as a reliable strategy to alleviate environmental and energy pressures. Thus, whether the photocatalytic performance is excellent depends on the reasonable design of photocatalysts. By considering factors such as morphology engineering, band gap engineering, co-catalyst modification, and heterojunction construction, the photocatalysts with superior performance can be developed. Inspired by this unique characteristic, photocatalysts with a hollow structure endow numerous advantages in photocatalyst design, including enhanced multiple refraction and reflection of light, reduced transport distance of photo-induced carriers, and provided plentiful surface reaction sites. Herein, we systematically review the latest progress of hollow structured photocatalysts and summarize the diversity from geometric morphology, internal structure, and chemical composition. Specifically, the synthetic strategies of hollow structured photocatalysts are highlighted, including hard template, soft template, and template free methods. Furthermore, a series of hollow structured photocatalysts have also been described in detail, such as metal oxide, metal sulfide, metal-organic framework, and covalent organic framework. Subsequently, we present the potential applications of hollow structured photocatalysts in photocatalytic pollutant degradation, H2 production, H2O2 production, CO2 reduction, and N2 fixation. Simultaneously, the relevant relationship between hollow structure and photocatalytic performance is deeply discussed. Toward the end of the review, we introduce the challenges and prospects in the future development direction of hollow structured photocatalysts. The review can provide inspiration for better designing hollow structured photocatalysts to meet the needs of environmental remediation and energy conversion.

Key words: Hollow structure, Photocatalysts, Heterojunction, Synthetic strategy, Environmental remediation, Energy conversion