Metal Oxide-Based Photocatalysts – from Synthesis to Application

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue is dedicated to new trends in research focused on the synthesis of novel oxide materials used in the removal of environmental impurities applying photo-oxidation processes.

Nowadays, as a result of globalization and the development of industry, more and more pollutants containing harmful substances are produced. Therefore, it is necessary to develop techniques for their removal or neutralization. It is well known that the removal of environmental pollutions (e.g., sewage) by conventional, physicochemical, and biochemical methods, such as adsorption, oxidation, ozonation, etc., is expensive and ineffective. Hence, in recent years, an increased interest in new wastewater treatment technologies that are based on photo-oxidation processes using oxide-based materials has been observed. This fact is confirmed by the growing number of literature reports regarding the neutralization of some chemicals that are very often hazardous to human life and animals, such as pharmaceuticals or phenol derivations. Photocatalytic processes seem to be extremely advantageous from an economic point of view, as well as mild process conditions (low temperature and no increased pressure). However, in this process, two fundamental aspects can be distinguished: a photoactive material as well as a light source. The development of both directions is extremely important for increasing the efficiency of photo-oxidation processes. There are many oxide-based materials available on the market used in the photocatalysis process; however, there is a constant drive to obtain new materials that would be highly active in the visible and near-ultraviolet range, biologically inert, photostable (nonphotocorrosive), resistant to environmental conditions in which they are used, and relatively cheap. It is equally important to use innovative light sources based on LED diodes, which do not contain harmful elements such as mercury or xenon and  are present in conventional light sources.

The proposed scope of Special Issue includes:

• Synthesis of novel photocatalysts based on oxide materials;
• Surface treatment (modification/grafting/doping) to enhancement photocatalytic properties;
• Surface chemistry and functionality;
• Physicochemical characterization of photocatalysts;
• Degradation of harmful impurities (for example, metal ions, detergents, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, organic dyes, etc.) using novel, synthesized photocatalysts;
• Application and characteristics of novel light sources.

Dr. Adam Kubiak
Dr. Katarzyna Siwińska-Ciesielczyk
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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• oxide materials
• crystal structure
• surface chemistry
• synthesis methods of multifunctional oxide materials
• heterogeneous photocatalysis
• in-/organic pollutants
• light source
• environmental protection